Our Last Summer: The 7th Hunger Games
by 66samvr
Summary: Whispers of rebellion are fading away and the Games are slowly becoming a part of Panem. But some people in the districts still refuse to give up and their plans travel to the sandy beaches of this year's Games...where death is sure to happen. SYOT Closed.
1. The Escape

**Hey hey hey! Guess who's back again with another SYOT!**

 **I decided to start during mid-Games in Rebellious Fate, just so everyone has a bit more time to submit and I can work on the Reapings faster. Closing dates, submission criteria and all that jazz will be addressed later on.  
**

 **I'm so excited to start this! It's the sequel to Rebellious Fate. You don't really have to read RF to know who everybody is, but it will help a bit if you did. Most of these characters appeared in there.  
**

 **But ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the 7th annual Hunger Games!**

* * *

 _James Lorein, 29_  
 _Rebel on the Run_

* * *

"James, slow down!" Kenny yelped as he slipped on a puddle of melted slush. "You know that I can't run as fast as you."  
I stopped, only to let Kenny catch up to me. Of course taking any breaks was a huge risk. By now, I was certain our disappearance from 6 had finally been noticed and the Peacekeepers were on our trails. Hopefully, we could reach our location before we were caught.

How long had we been running? Three days? Maybe four? Time flies when you're too focused on survival. Wondering if you have enough energy to last a little longer. Out here, away from all of civilization, you start to realize how hard it is to flee the district. Had my good friend Julia not distracted the Peacekeepers at the border long enough, Kenny and I could've been shot dead.

Now, here we are. In the middle of nowhere. Half of the stuff we packed for this trip has run out, no nearby districts in sight. Kenny's boots were already soaked and he sat down in order to pry them off. I offered to help but he refused.

"Ugh James, it's just no use. I know you want to get us both to safety, but I am seriously dragging you down. Maybe it's best if you go on your own and I catch up later."  
I stared at him in shock. Kenny was always looking for me, but I couldn't just do this to him. We had been partners in crime for eleven years. This was my husband for crying out loud! How could I just abandon him in the middle of a forest?

"No honey, I am not leaving you. Ever. We've made it this far, I'm certain we'll get to another district soon." I plopped down next to him and rested my chin on top of his sweaty black hair. "I love you," I sang out.  
It was hard to tell, but I was certain a smile had broken out on his face. "I...I love you too, James..."

We continued on. Kenny held his boots in his hands, ignoring the slush as it soaked into his socks. One thing I loved about him. He always went the extra mile for me. He always brought out my best qualities and kept finding new ways to show his love. If...no, when...we got to another district, I promised myself I'd take us both out for a nice dinner, then pay for all of it.  
The silence of the forest was a bit unnerving. I had gotten used to hearing twigs snap under my boots, the occasional animal sound, trees rustling. Maybe something up above, like a bird. But it was all quiet and I began to fear something was wrong.

Kenny knew what happened before I did. The hovercraft took a while to materialize, lucky me. By then, Kenny had already shoved me into a bush.  
"What the-" I yelped, fighting my way out. The hovercraft could now be seen flying through the air as Kenny began to take off. Before he could get anywhere, a claw shot from the hovercraft's belly and on top of him.

"KENNY!" I screamed. The hovercraft took off and I chased after it. The claw began to retract, Kenny still stuck inside. He struggled as hard as he could, but he barely made a dent. Still I kept running. I was not going to let them take him away from me!  
As if my luck couldn't get any worse, I tripped over a stray root. Letting out a couple of curses, I quickly wiped the dirt off my pants and scanned the horizon.

It was too late. My husband was gone.

I was overwhelmed with emotions almost instantly. I wanted to cry. To scream. To run after that hovercraft and destroy it all at once. Parts of me wanted to give up, the rest to keep going. Despite what I wanted to do, I knew I was alone.  
"Pull yourself together James. He's gone. What are you gonna do about it? Sit here and cry, or try and move on, in hopes of getting your love back?"

That sounded like something Kenny would say. He would want me to keep moving. That's what I wanted from myself, after all. To get us both somewhere safe, away from 6. Now that Kenny was gone, I was going to have to do that for myself.

I kept trekking through, but I soon realized what a toll that wilderness was taking on me. My breaths were long and heavy. My fingers felt numb. My legs were stiff and my boots damp. Walking soon became a chore. After about two and a half hours, I collapsed.  
 _Give up,_ that one voice in the back of my head whispered. _You should just give up. Rebels like you are better off dead._

"I should...no I can't...I can't give up..." I wheezed under my breath.  
 _Why not? What have you got to lose? They'll Avox him for sure. Rebels are supposed to help those imprisoned by the Capitol. You couldn't even save your husband. What kind of rebel are you?_

"Why do you care?" I muttered, curling up into a bal. "Rebels also never give up until death, must I remind you that? Why am I even arguing with myself anyways?"  
The thoughts were gone. I was left standing in the middle of the forest. And just because things couldn't get any better, it had started to rain.

Perhaps I would've missed it if I didn't notice it now. But the electric fence, the border, was up ahead. I had finally made it, after what felt like forever.  
Luckily, the fence wasn't turned on. Most districts usually leave theirs off; it costs money to maintain the fence, though my escape would probably lead to better security protection back in 6.

I scaled the fence, trying my hardest to keep my clothes from getting snagged. At the top, I lost balance and tumbled over, fallen into a pile of grains. The worker taking care of them glanced me in the eye, annoyed.  
"Sorry," I apologized. Tripping my way out and pulling stray weeds free from my hair, I made my way closer to the town.

9\. I was in District 9. And in perfect time too. The Victory Tour for the 6th Hunger Games was going on, meaning that all attention was focused there. The Victor of these Games, Fjord Hemmings, was standing in front of the Justice Building and reading out a small speech. Nobody noticed me as I ran by.  
Where should I hide? It was unlikely any rebels would be out now. The Peacekeepers probably knew who i was and would shoot me down at any notice. I had no allies or friends here.

I slowed my pace and wandered through the district until I came across the trainyard used to transport grain across Panem. It was smaller, probably since 9 wasn't as industrial. The trains had been left where they were and there was nobody around.  
I crawled into one of the cars, which had been filled halfway with sacks of grain. Tossing some bags aside before covering myself up with them, I fell into an uneasy sleep.

When I woke up, the train was moving.

* * *

 **If you participated in Rebellious Fate, then you might remember James and Kenny! As you can see, five years later, their lifestyle has changed. And now James is hiding out in District 9.**

 **Time to address submissions! In order to keep my inbox from flooding, I am using a Google Form. The link is on my profile. If it doesn't work for some stupid reason, feel free to let me know and I'll fix it.  
**

 **Maximum 3 submissions per person. They can be whichever gender you like for whichever district, but the third HAS to be a Bloodbath.**

 **No resubmissions please. I will accept a resubmitted tribute only if the story is abandoned (hasn't been updated in four moths) or discontinued.**

 **This is NOT first come first serve. I will choose which tributes get in and the tribute list will be posted sometime after Rebellious Fate is complete.**

 **Try not to make tributes related to past tributes or Victors. You'll get to meet the Victors later.**

 **Because this is an earlier Hunger Games, almost all tributes should be REAPED. If they are a volunteer, they better have a damn good reason. Careers don't quite exist yet.**

 **If you have made it this far, put the phrase "Carrots are evil" in the backup District section.**

* * *

 **Okay, that is all! Thanks for checking this out and I can't wait to see the tributes you guys send me!**


	2. Childish Thoughts

**Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and submitted so far! I'm so excited to get this story up and running!**  
 **I still need several more submissions! The form is on my profile, as well as how many submissions I've received so far. So please keep them coming!**

 **I am a bit surprised nobody's picked up on this yet, but Our Last Summer is also the name of a song! Brownie points for you if you can guess the artist! (no cheating!)**

* * *

 _Thomas Colston, 12_  
 _District 10 Citizen_

* * *

District 10 was halfway through winter, even if it didn't feel like it. Being a more southern district, we only caught drifts of the cold. However, everybody sensed it. The cattle refused to spend time outside. My teacher reminded us constantly to dress warmly. Dark fell faster.

As the school doors opened and we all flooded through, the sky looked less brighter than usual. I didn't pay it much attention and made my home. As I did, I watched all the other activities my classmates were doing. One girl whispered a joke to her friends and they all cracked up. A couple of boys kicked a football around. One of the girls in my class grabbed onto a boy's hand and looked relieved when he didn't let go.

A woman who looked more like an older sister appeared on the scene. She smiled warmly as a five year-old boy quickly latched himself to her leg. They grabbed one another's hands, then strode off together. I watched with envy.  
Every time I saw a scene like that, every single time I noticed a parent showering their child with love, I tried to hide my jealousy. I was constantly reminded of what I didn't have, what got taken away from me at such a young age.

My parents.

"Hey Thomas, shouldn't your parents be picking you up?"  
"Just asking Thomas, but where's your dad? Haven't seen him before...you have a dad, right?"

I knew the reason why they were gone. My aunt Lilith thought it was pointless to hide such a secret from me. I would've figured out the truth at some point.  
Perhaps this was why I had such a hard time fitting in and making friends. Losing two of the most important people in my life had some terrible effects on me, forcing me to grow up faster than I should've.  
Death matures a person too quickly. It happens in a blink of an eye. One minute, you're a small, happy, innocent child. Then you turn into a quiet pessimistic preteen who's seen things some adults never wish to see. Like death itself.

I didn't take long to get home, especially since I wanted to be there before dark. My aunt was boiling something over the stove when I opened the door. She had a job too, but always left a bit early to watch over my younger brother and sister. They were a few weeks away from their fifth birthday, when they'd finally be old enough to walk to school with me.

"Hey Aunt Lilith," I muttered quietly.  
She looked up from the pot. "Hey kiddo. Learn anything at school today that you didn't already know?"  
"They said they were going to start a unit on cattle reproduction. Some of the girls thought it was disgusting and the boys laughed."

My aunt smirked. "Oh, it's not that bad. But it's important. We rely on livestock to survive and we help them grow so they can bring more of their kind into the world."  
"I know.  
"Good. Glad I have someone I can talk to like an adult. Your siblings are cute, but they're not good company."

I chuckled at the idea of my aunt attempting to hold a meeting with the twins. She took the opportunity to shove a cutting board into my hands. "Chop chop, Thomas. I need you to cut up some vegetables for the stew."  
"Oh, alright." That was the downside to being one of the eldest in the house. When my siblings got older, I was going to make them do their fair share of work.

* * *

"TOMMY!" Maya screeched as I peeked into the room she shared with her brother. Mark just glanced up from the paper he was scribbling on.  
"Hey you two," I smiled, pushing back Maya's dark brown hair and she latched onto my leg. "Let's go to the kitchen. Dinner is ready."

Mark grabbed onto my hand, not wanting to be left out since Maya refused to let go of my leg. I trampled into the kitchen, where Aunt Lilith was serving up four warm bowls of stew. She sat on one end of the table and I took the other; the twins were placed between us.

The meal was a typical one, where I helped Mark eat and wiped his face clean in between bites of my own food. Maya babbled on and on about a bird she saw outside. Mark occasionally turned away form his bowl to add his own comments.  
Never a quiet night in this house.

Finally, we managed to get the twins in bed and I helped clean up the kitchen. I dumped all the dirty dishes in the sink and then washed my stew-covered hands. It was now much darker outside. I glanced through the back door and all I could see was black.

Suddenly, a hand slapped up against the door and a man crawled into the view. His eyes widened as he mouthed something to me, before collapsing. I almost screamed and ran from the kitchen.  
"Aunt Lilith! AUNT LILITH! HELP!"

My aunt dashed through the hallway and almost collided with me. "Thomas! What's wrong?"  
"There's someone outside. I think he might be dead!"  
Aunt Lilith peered through the door. "I don't see anything. You're just imagining things."  
"No, look harder! I swear I saw him!"

Aunt Lilith opened the door and stuck her head. She turned back to me. "I don't see anything-"  
The man appeared again, grabbing onto her wrist. Aunt Lilith gasped and yanked her hand away, as he fell , half of his body in the doorway. His face was covered in dirt, his clothes. ripped. His eyes kept fluttering open and shut as he began to mumble.

"Water...water..."  
My aunt grabbed a clean glass and hurried to the sink. "He needs water. Thomas, you keep an eye on him."  
The glass was filled up and held to the man's lips. He groaned a bit before nosily slurping back the water. Once he was done, we picked him up and dragged him over the couch.

"Alright," Aunt Lilith muttered. "We've given you what you wanted. Now tell us, what were you doing outside my house?"  
It was kinda funny to watch my aunt act all tough and threatening when she didn't look the part. She was pretty short; I came up to her neck. Her light brown hair was often swept away from her face and tied up, giving her a more approachable look.

The man took a bit of time before speaking. "I...I got lost."  
I almost believed him. It was clear he wasn't from around here, with his pale skin and layers of clothing. The man coughed and continued. "I snuck onto a train from 9 that stopped here. Then I ran before the Peacekeepers could see me."

"Why?" I asked. "Did you do something wrong?"  
"Yeah. I did everything wrong. I was supposed to not only get myself to safety but my husband too. Who knows where he is now-"

"You're gay?" I probably sounded a bit rude and it wasn't polite to interrupt, but I never knew anybody who...well...liked someone of the same gender.  
"Thomas!" Aunt Lilith scolded.  
"No, no, no, it's fine. I am. And now I don't know what to do. I'm in a completely new district, full of strangers, with a squad of Peacekeepers on my trail. It's hopeless, hopeless." He dropped his head into his hands.

This was all taking forever to make sense of. You weren't supposed to talk to strangers, but my heart ached for the man on our couch. I felt sorry for him.  
"You know..." I said quietly. "I know what it's like to lose someone."  
"You do? At such a young age?"  
"I get that a lot. But...my parents were killed five years ago. Shot by Peacekeepers. I still remember it...it hurts..."

I felt my aunt squeeze my shoulder comfortingly. Meanwhile, the man stared at me as if I was the stranger, even though he was sitting in our house uninvited. "By Snow...are you Colston's boy?"  
"I...yes?"  
The man practically sprung up. "You can't be serious! I...I can't believe it!" He grabbed my hand and shook it crazily. "James Lorein. Rebel."

"Uh...hi, Mr. James." I felt intimidated by his sudden change of mood. "What do you want me for?"  
"Well, I know what happened to your old man. Sad, but they don't like rebels. However, your father was feared among pro-Capitol warriors of 10 for being determined and stubborn. Imagine the scare you'd give them if you carried on their legacy!"

The idea sounded tempting. Rebelling against those nasty Peacekeepers who murdered my parents! Showing the district who was boss! It seemed childish, but the thoughts amused me.  
Having been silent up until now, Aunt Lilith spoke. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You are not borrowing my nephew and then putting his life in danger like that."

"What?" James asked. "I mean, it is your choice. Since you're the guardian and all."  
My aunt's lips curled up into a smile. "Well, he's not helping you without me. You think I'd just let the Peacekeepers murder my sister like that and not pay the consequences? If you want, you can stay for the night, Mr. Lorein. I'll get you some blankets."

As my aunt strode down the hall, James turned to me. "Well, she's an interesting one, isn't she?"  
"That's my aunt Lilith for you."

* * *

 **Here we go, second prologue! You get to meet Thomas and his family, with James rudely barging in. If you read Rebellious Fate (it's the first chapter), Thomas appears in there.**

 **I'm at about 13 submissions so far, which I think is good. They're all pretty interesting and I know I'll have a hard time picking. For now, I'll just say I need more submissions (especially for Districts 1, 4, 10 and 11) and Bloodbaths.**

 **If you want to submit, the form is on my profile. Remember three submissions max per person. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for more!**


	3. Love, Money, and Rage

**A note regarding submissions: I am currently at 22. I am working on a due date, which was originally after Rebellious Fate ended. The due date I've set up is December 18th. I believe this should be enough time and Rebellious Fate should be close to ending by then.**  
 **Remember, you can submit up to three tributes!**

 **Also, if you didn't know, Our Last Summer is also the name of a song by the band ABBA. Personally, I prefer the Mamma Mia version.  
**

 **I've already made plans to introduce all the Victors, and here is one of them! Just to let you know, this contains some heavy stuff, like signs of past emotional abuse and homophobia.**

* * *

 _Fjord Hemmings, aged 19_  
 _Victor of the 6th Annual Hunger Games_

* * *

The cannon boomed, disturbing what had once been peaceful silence. I turned to my ally, Fenrir. He simply said nothing. Later, I would learn the cannon belonged to the 2 female.  
"Final six," I said quietly.  
Fenrir nodded. "Yep."

We stared at each other. His dark brown eyes met my mossy green pupils. He picked at a loose thread on his jacket. I just watched.  
"We should split up." Fenrir announced. "Break it off right now. It's not going to last any longer."  
"Yeah."

Neither of us got up. We both stared a minute longer. I simply twiddled my thumbs. For someone from 4, my skin was extremely pale. Fenrir was a caramel tone, though I assumed it was natural.  
We both sat against the stone wall. I wasn't keen to get up and go out into the stone labyrinth of an arena. Fenrir clearly felt the same. We sat some more, then stared for what felt like the thousandth time.

"I don't want to leave." I finally confessed.  
"I feel the same," Fenrir replied.  
"You're like a brother to me," I sighed.  
"I...don't feel the same..." Fenrir glanced at me and I could see the redness in his cheeks. He opened his mouth, but not a sound came out. However, I didn't have to hear words to know what he wanted to say. We were both fairly quiet people, who found that sometimes, less words could speak more.

Fenrir tried again to speak. He stuttered on the first word, then got choked up and stopped. He tried for a third time, with no success. Finally, he managed to get something out. "I always chase after the things I'll never get."  
"You could get so much more than me."  
"Less is more."  
Now it was my turn to blush. "N-no...you don't want me. I promise. I'm nothing special. I'm tall, skinny and lanky. I always hide from my problems. I can't say no. And I talk funny."

"I don't care. Your voice is beautiful. I don't mind some extra height. And I'm glad to see someone who can admit and own his flaws rather then cover them up."  
"That's...that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."  
Fenrir leaned in closer. "What happens if I kiss you?"  
"I don't now, I never...just do it."

* * *

That was a while ago. It was the happiest and last moment I shared with Fenrir, before the District 1 boy cut his chest open. I ended up killing the boy in the finale, but it did nothing to avenge my fallen friend. During my Victory tour, we stopped in Fenrir's home of District 6 an I made sure to say some nice words about him. He had such a nice family. A twin sister, comforting a crying little brother. A father standing tall for his children, but threatening to break down at any moment.

I wish I had someone who would miss me like that, had I not won. But my parents hadn't spoke to me ever since I came home from the arena. Even after I got back from the Victory Tour yesterday, they didn't join in with Four's celebrations. I rarely saw my siblings as well, probably because they were both busy living their own lives. But we never had the best of relationships even before I was Reaped.

Perhaps I never did get along with my family. My parents were the type who used their children as a way to secure wealth. When my older brother Crew, turned 18, he was to take over the shipbuilding business. My sister, Seraphina, was married off to the son of one of 4's politicians. He had yet to work as mayor, but an election was coming up soon.  
As for me, I was the mistake. The unplanned child. Had Mom and Dad gotten their way, there would be no Fjord Hemmings.

Yet, here I was. Constantly groomed for success, but no success came. I tried to do everything I was expected to do, but I was never as strong and charming as Crew, or as beautiful and confident as Seraphina. I was an average Joe but in my family, average was considered horrible. It meant you had no chance of making your parents rich.

So what got them to change their minds now? To have Crew stop by my house this morning and tell me that they were coming to visit?  
I spent the whole morning cleaning up and arranging things nicely. Once everything looked presentable, I quickly rehearsed a small speech that I scrawled together in front of Crew.

"What do you think?"  
"Sounds good...but remember to suck up and compliment. You know how Mom and Dad are."  
"Yeah," I sighed. "You know why they're coming, right?"  
Crew nodded. "Of course."

"Money." we said together.  
I went silent. Honestly, I was a bit surprised they didn't go after my earning as soon as I won. Crew flipped through a Capitol magazine I received in the mail. It was talking about my Games, with Fenrir's kiss plastered all over the front.  
"Where's Sera?"  
"She wanted to come, but couldn't. Ultrasound."  
"She's only 20 and they got married two years ago. How could they have a baby so quickly?"  
"You know exactly why." Crew was interrupted by a knock at the door. "That's them. I better get going."  
"See you later," I muttered as Crew left and my parents walked in. They hadn't changed at all, since I saw them last. All three of us had were giving each other a fake smile.

"Well," my father said in a slightly icy tone. "I see you've managed to clean up a bit."  
"O-of course. Now, how about I give you a tour? There's a lot to see."

Surprisingly, there were no comments about how I wasn't able to keep a house by myself. Mom and Dad more or less were amazed by the sheer size, the four giant bedrooms, and even the win cellar. They did seem a bit dissatisfied when they realized I was using the cellar to store old junk.  
Finally, we were back in the kitchen. "How is it?" I asked quietly.

"Well, it's very nice. But I do imagine you've been responsible to store all your Victor's earnings in a safe place, right?" Mom raised an eyebrow at me.  
Of course. The one reason they came. By now, it was no big secret Victors got a lot of money from the Capitol. And while I was keeping the money somewhere for the future, I wasn't going to give it up. Too many times I had been replaced for a greedy desire. Too many times I was reminded I had never been a valuable source of income.

"No." My tone came off a lot harsher than I was expecting, but the message still got across.  
"Excuse me?"  
"No. I know why you're here. You two never did care for me. You only cared about the money I brought in."  
"Well, of course." my father responded firmly. "That's the only reason you should exist. Children were meant to be seen and not heard. They were supposed to benefit their elders and not cripple them."

I was used to being reminded I was the unplanned child, but my father's words dealt a heavy blow. "Th-that's it? That's all you see me as? Something that cripples the family?"  
Both of my parents were glaring at me now. "You know exactly what we intended for the future of our children. Your brother was to take over the family business and carry on our name, like a real man should. Your sister was to marry and extend the family line, just like how women were made to do. They did their jobs and were an asset to the Hemmings."

My mother cut in. "You were expected to follow in their footsteps, Fjord. But you just always had to be difficult, disappointing even. Perhaps you can make up for this by putting your money where it belongs."  
"I don't want to. I'm tired of dealing with these viewpoints. You both tormented me for 18 years of my life, treating me like trash. I get it, I was never the son you wanted me to be. But I had my own life, my own body. I wasn't meant for you to live through me!"

My words had finally gotten to them. They both looked upset, perhaps knowing I wouldn't stand for this any longer. Under his breath, my father muttered some last words. "Hemmings boys were always supposed to be the stronger sex. How did we screw up with this one?"

That was the final straw. Whether it was the sexist comment or the final insult, I was practically seeing red. "Out!" I screamed. "GET OUT!"  
Everyone was shocked, including me. I knew that people always had their moments, but I had never yelled so loud before.  
My mother gasped. "Young man, how dare you speak to your father in that tone-"

"I don't care! Out!"

They both shuffled towards the door. My father stopped to pick up the magazine Crew left on the table. "What...what is this scandalous behavior?"  
"Why do you care?" I hissed, clutching a pillow to calm myself down.  
"It's bad enough you have to give us attitude...but this! We raised you to be a proper man who would eventually rake in success, not one of these annoying feminine gays, who would just rather make out with a fa-"

I ripped the magazine from my father's hands. He had now pushed me over the edge. "HOW. DARE. YOU. INSULT. FENRIR. IN. FRONT. OF. ME!" I screeched, shoving him out the door. My father slipped down the stairs and landed in a pile of snow. My mother ran to help him and I slammed the door behind her.

After pushing down on the lock and drawing the curtains, the tears finally came. I sank into a couch, still holding the pillow as tightly as possible. It was a soothing chocolate brown. I had a set of them custom made to match Fenrir's eyes.

I had never felt so conflicted before. I was upset, but also proud to have finally stood up for myself. Which was the right emotion to feel? Which was the right path to take?  
Sometimes, I wished I had never won the Hunger Games.

* * *

 **Probably went a little too overboard, but once I got stuck in Fjord's head, I couldn't get out. I do like him quite a bit, since he's a bit different from the other Victors. As you can see, he hasn't fully adjusted to his victory.**

 **As for looks, he's a tall pasty ginger. He also has a thick Norwegian accent. Because I am a huge sucker for European tributes.**

 **I'll introduce the other Victors in the next chapter. If you still want to submit, I'll be accepting until the due date. Hope you liked this chapter.**


	4. Victors and Tributes

**We met Fjord the Victor last time. Now we get to see the rest of the gang!**

 **Just a warning, this chapter contains spoilers for the Victor of Rebellious fate. Most people have read the finale already, but just in case.**  
 **Oh yeah, I have my tribute list planned out! It has been put up on my profile and at the bottom of the chapter as well!**

* * *

 _Sliver Wirth, 23_  
 _Victor of the 1st Annual Hunger Games and District 8 Mentor_

* * *

The coffin looked a lot smaller then before, when it was riding with me on the hovercraft. Mrs. Winthrop's tears didn't make it any better.  
"I'm sorry." I placed a hand on her shoulder. I didn't know how else to comfort her, how else I could be of use. This wasn't the first time that a tribute from 8 had perished in the Games, but the Winthrops had already lost their daughter.

"It's okay. I know you can't control what happens in there."  
"I know. But for a little 13 year-old, he placed 16th and did really well. I bet his sister is proud of him, hopefully watching over us..."  
"I'd like to think that too." Mrs. Winthrop gave me a sad smile. "Well, I better get home. My husband needs me."

"Sure thing," I reached into my pocket and pulled out a handful of coins, then gently pressed them into Mrs. Winthrop's palm. "Here. It's not much, but you should be able to afford a nice funeral."  
"Oh Sliver, you're too kind."  
 _No I'm not._

As usual, I walked to Victor's Village alone. I stepped inside the only occupied house and turned on the lights. There was nobody waiting to say hello, nobody making dinner. I used to live with my mother and little sister, Taffeta, until Taffy got accepted into a school across the district and they moved back into our old house.  
I heated up some leftovers and ate dinner alone. Nobody came from the house beside or across from me, smelling a bite to eat.

The grim reminder that in five years of mentoring, I had yet to bring someday back home. I had mentored a total of 12 tributes so far, all of them dead. No matter how hard I tried to break the trend, there was still the very likely chance of me not succeeding this year. Why should the next Hunger Games be any different?

I picked up the phone and dialed a number. I got the answering machine. Of course. As if I hadn't been feeling lonely enough, good old Christof, my own mentor, decided that it took too much work to just pick up a phone and keep me company.

I probably could give up. But I was never that kind of person. District 8 had practically no chances, but the tributes needed a mentor. I was the only one qualified. If I wasn't gonna teach those kids how to survive, who would? Not Christof.

So I was to keep mentoring and keep going, until there was finally someone to take my place. Then I could finally relax, kick my feet back, and drink martinis with Christof all day. However, that someone was probably a future tribute whereas I was living in the present. I couldn't stop just yet.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 22_  
 _Victor of the 2nd Annual Hunger Games and District 1 Mentor_

* * *

By now, it's no big secret the Capitol loves District 1. We're the richest of the rich, with all the sparkly gems we mine, that inspire stupid names for the kids and loyalist propaganda. While District 2 may be the lapdog, we're the prim kitty cat whose chin President Sterling Snow keeps scratching at, making us purr in admiration for our leader.

Not all of the District is loyal. Some have seen past the glam and glitz. I was one of them. I was one of the rebels.  
I wasn't going to say it was the Hunger Games, but it was the Hunger Games. Watching them is one thing but actually participating...this takes that gore to a whole new level, one almost nobody is ready for. Sure you got that one crazy every year, but for us normal citizens...this is not normal.

While I knew who side I was on, I never rebelled. Of course the Peacekeepers wouldn't try and kill me, since as a Victor I was untouchable. But there were consequences. I could get my family killed. My cousins were safe but their children could suffer by getting Reaped. The district could get bombed, like 13. And it would all be because of me.

It was a breezy day in the market. Everyone was resuming normal lives, now that the Victory Tour for the 6th Hunger Games was over. Posters of Fjord Hemmings were gone, replaced by a man's mugshot. A reward had been placed under his face, the word WANTED written above him in big black letters.

Interesting. I picked one up and flipped it over. The back stated that he was from District 6, but had escaped. The Capitol wanted to find and execute him for his crimes. Couldn't have rebels running around, could they?

"Yeah, I know it was a risky move. But he did it and now he's missing. I've been trying to call him for weeks, but he never ever answered...of course it's risky! You can barely find someone here with a cell phone! I could get killed for just talking with you...alright...yeah, you take care of that. I'll see what I can do. Goodbye."

The voice belonged to a man in his early twenties, standing in an alleyway. He had tanned skin and dirty blonde hair. He angrily clicked something on his phone, then slammed his head against the brick wall. I took the opportunity to go up to him. "You know, if you don't over the phone to authorities, you can face a punishment of a whipping or the stocks. Not death, They don't kill us over something as stupid as that."

"What the hell do you want..." the man trailed off when he recognized me. "Please...please don't tell them!"  
"Relax kiddo, I'm not gonna hurt you. What's your name?"  
"T-topaz. Topaz Blitzen."

I smiled, hoping I didn't look too scary. "Well Topaz, it appears that you deal with risky business. I'm not gonna tell anyone. But you know those posters of that escaped man? I want you to tell me everything about him, and how I can join in on your little scheme."

* * *

 _Claymore Regans, 22_  
 _Victor of the 3rd Annual Hunger Games and District 2 Mentor_

* * *

"Head Peacekeeper Marcus Victorian Wreath was a very good friend of mine. Kind, funny, and friendly. He will be missed dearly. Let us never forget him, but continue his legacy of making District 2 a better place."

The funeral was grim. Lowering Peacekeeper Wreath in the ground was the worst of all. Despite his authority over us all, he was nice and compassionate. Under his rule, the gallows and whipping posts rarely touched. He believed in second chances, not punishments.

Only four of us walked back to Victor's Village. There was Vanessa, my girlfriend. Archer, my older brother. And Isaac, my 11 year-old nephew, who kept tugging at the collar of the dress shirt my brother made him wear. And then there was me.  
On our way, we passed the Stone. Well, it was just a giant stone mansion that Peacekeeper Wreath used to live in. But he and I called it that. Then we would laugh.

"Wonder what they'll do with it now," Vanessa mused.  
"Probably tear it down," Archer replied. "Unless he left it for someone-"  
"He doesn't have any family," I interrupted. "It's the 20 year commitment thing."

We decided to get a closer look. Some Peacekeepers were arguing in front of the doorway. When they saw us, one of them ran over. "Claymore Regans?"  
I stepped forward. "Yes, that's me-"

A silver key was pressed into my hand. I just stared at it. "What is this for?"  
"It's the key to the house. Peacekeeper Wreath's will was examined and it said he left ownership of the building to you."

The key felt cold on top of my sweaty palm. The Stone was mine. What was I supposed to do with it?  
Archer came up behind me. "Maybe you could do some renovating. Turn it into...I don't know, an Academy or something like that."

"That's actually not a bad idea."

* * *

 _Arley Dawson, 20_  
 _Victor of the 4th Annual Hunger Games and District 10 Mentor_

* * *

SLAM!  
"Calm down honey," Moira said while rolling her eyes. "I get that you're upset, but no need to take it out on our best cutting board."  
"I know I'm upset. That jerk thinks he can just waltz right into my little sister's life and break her heart while leaving her pregnant! I ought to slice his head off!"

"Well, you can't. There's rules about that. Now calm down and please stop attacking those poor carrots."  
I rolled my eyes but stopped chopping so hardly with my knife. Moira took the vegetables from me and mixed them into the soup. She ladled it into two bowls, then placed them at the table. We sat down and dug in.

For a while, there was just the sound of us eating. Finally, Moira got up and turned the radio on. A bit of static was played before sweet music flowed through our dining room.  
Moira beamed. "Hey, it's the song we played on our anniversary! Come on Arley, sing along."

I shook my head. "I don't sing."  
"You don't sing? Since when did you become such a sourpuss?"  
"I...look, I don't sing. I haven't done so in years. Alright? It's got nothing to do with you and I...don't feel like doing it."

The mood was now tense. Moira simply turned off the radio. I just kept my head down and resumed eating. I had my reasons why I quit singing so many years ago. But I never told anybody. Not my little sister Aubrey. Not my grandmother. Not Moira, my sweet girlfriend and the only person who could bring out the best in me.

Most people assumed that I stopped singing because my parents died in the rebellion, or because I changed after the Hunger Games. I just let them think they were right. Neither reason was correct. It all had something to do with my past, which the Capitolites had a hard time finding and nobody in the districts cared about.

I had planned to tell Moira at some point, but I never found the right time. Maybe it was better if she never did know.

* * *

 _Paisley Lomota, 18_  
 _Victor of the 5th Annual Hunger Games and District 9 Mentor_

* * *

"I'm gonna get you!" Carter sang as he chased after me. "I'm gonna slit your pretty little throat open!"  
"No!" I screamed, as Carter grabbed me and held the knife to my throat. "Please!"  
"Goodbye..."

I woke up in a cold sweat, screaming my head off. The noises died down as I quickly slapped my hands against my face, realizing that I was alive. A light clicked on outside my bedroom and my family burst in.  
"PAISLEY!" My father yelped in alarm. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm f-fine. Just had a-a bad dream, t-that's all."  
My older brothers, Alvin and Aspen looked at each other, relived. "You sounded so scared, we got worried for a moment." Aspen muttered.

"I'm o-okay, guys. I think I'll be fine."  
Alvin looked skeptical. "You're sure?"  
"Yes."  
The three boys left my room and closed the door. I closed my eyes and tried to fall back asleep.  
 _It's just a dream, Paisley. Carter isn't real. None of them are real. You're seeing things._

No matter how much I convinced myself that I was dreaming, Carter kept coming back. All of them did. My ally Luciana, who would taunt me for running away when she got her chest slashed open. Damien, the strong boy from 10 who was constantly trying to hunt me down. Carter, the boy from 11. The only kill I had made in the 10 days my Games went on.

 _None of them are real. Paisley, look. You're all alone. There is nobody here to get you-_  
"Get over here, you sniveling coward!" Damien laughed. "I'm gonna crack your skull open!"

I sat up almost instantly. There was no scream this time and my brothers didn't run over to comfort me.  
I knew that most 18 year-olds didn't get babied by their parents and siblings. But as the only girl in the family, ever since Mom was caught in that explosion, I became important. My father and the twins did everything they could to maintain my innocence and protect me from the Reapings. But I got chosen and they were powerless to save me.

No wonder they cared about me so much when I got back home. This kept us all together. If my family broke apart even further, I didn't think any of us could handle it.

* * *

 **So, those were the Victors! There's also Fjord, but he got his spotlight last chapter.**

 **Time to introduce the tributes! This wasn't an easy pick, since there were only 24 spots but I got a total of 36 submissions. If your tribute didn't make it in, I apologize. I tried my hardest to have a diverse cast and include as many submitters as possible. But here we are, the tributes for the 7th Annual Hunger Games!**

* * *

 **District 1 Male:** Leonidas Argyris, 18 (Sparky She-Demon)  
 **District 1 Female:** Desdemona Montague, 17 (paperairline)

 **District 2 Male:** Challis Scorn, 18 (no-role-models)  
 **District 2 Female:** Victoria Mason, 17 (Featherflight123)

 **District 3 Male:** Mark Giblet, 15 (GoldenMoonHuntress)  
 **District 3 Female:** Axis LeBouvier, 17 (Oli2Fab4U)

 **District 4 Male:** Bravo Turner, 15 (MessyModgePodge)  
 **District 4 Female:** Rowena Maruis, 16 (paperairline)

 **District 5 Male:** Zeke Beckett, 15 (Fluffytail15)  
 **District 5 Female:** Brynnelle "Brynne" Levitt, 15 (RedRoses100)

 **District 6 Male:** Nestor Barde, 14 (GoldenMoonHuntress)  
 **District 6 Female:** Seine Hopper, 15 (SapphireMoon04)

 **District 7 Male:** Everleigh McArvin, 16 (EllaRoseEverdeen)  
 **District 7 Female:** Kyliana Carter, 15 (District 9 Tribute)

 **District 8 Male:** Christopher "Kit" Belmont, 12 (cookiecastlequeen)  
 **District 8 Female:** Paisley Weftin, 16 (goldie031)

 **District 9 Male:** Virgil Gallo, 17 (MessyModgePodge)  
 **District 9 Female:** Nicolyn Vargas, 16 (Pixelfun26)

 **District 10 Male:** Eagle Roseworth, 16 (Professor Boo.k)  
 **District 10 Female:** Shana Trine, 17 (hollowman96)

 **District 11 Male:** Basileon "Leo" Fungo, 13 (Platrium)  
 **District 11 Female:** Gaya Westbay, 15 (cookiecastlequeen)

 **District 12 Male:** Brady Griffith, 12 (District 9 Tribute)  
 **District 12 Female:** Josie Doyle, 14 (FandomsForeva)

* * *

 **These are the tributes I have chosen! I tried to put everyone's tribute into the original district of their choosing, but most got moved around. If your tribute is in a different district and you want to change part of them because of that, PM me.**  
 **The list is on my profile, complete with the escorts and mentors. Most of the escorts have appeared in Rebellious Fate, so you might be familiar with them. I just added some last names.**

 **I've decided to go in a random order, just to make things more fun. So, District 6 will be up next! I'll see you guys there!**


	5. District 6 Reaping

**Here we are, beginning of the Reapings in District 6! Let's see what our tributes are up to today.**

* * *

 _Seine Hopper, 15_  
 _District 6 Female Tribute_

* * *

I didn't surprise me that they were showing reruns of past Games today. However, I took advantage of the opportunity and flipped through my sketchbook. Finally, I found the pages I was looking for and started to draw.  
Carefully, I worked on completing unfinished sketches of previous Victors. I added some wispier lines to Sliver's hair. I erased a few mistakes on Foxy's portrait and corrected them. I carefully crafted Arley's eyebrows, giving her the fierce angle she was famous for.

I worked away and drew all the fine lines, until the Victors were done and I was satisfied with my work. Artists like me got easily frustrated and as a result, our work suffered. I _hated_ when I drew something wrong. It just got me even angrier and I continued to lose control and I'd be stuck in an endless cycle of rage and bad drawings.

"LUNCHTIME!"  
I let the pencils slide off my lap and I left the living room. In the kitchen, my father was making something over the stove. He handed me my plate and I grabbed one of the rolls from the bread basket as he dumped a generous portion of food on my plate. I took my seat at the kitchen table. As usual, the chair beside me was empty. Of course Marseille lived with his fiance, but I wished he could've been here, especially considering today.

A few minutes later, my family was eating. I held my roll in one hand and made invisible doodles with the other. The rule was "no sketchbooks at the table" with my parents, so I'd have to wait until afterwards to get back to them.  
"Seine," Mom said, interrupting my thoughts. "When you bring back your tests and homework, could you please stop drawing on them?"

It might have been an overreaction, but I rolled my eyes. "It's not a big deal. You can still see my grades."  
"That's not the point. The point is, school is place for learning. We didn't pay to send you there so you could vandalize all your homework. It's a distraction and prevents you from reaching your potential."

"I don't care!" I fumed. "I'm an artist. Let me draw how I want! You can't stop me!"  
With that, I stood up so suddenly, my chair almost fell over. I shoved the last of my lunch into my mouth, grabbed my sketchbook, and stormed out. I could hear my mother yelling how I was in trouble for such a horrible attitude, but I wasn't listening.

Finally, my mood returned to normal. I found a local park, sat down, and drew.

* * *

 _Nestor Barde, 14_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

Casey puffed and threw the cigarette on the ground, crumpling it with her foot. I just watched. "You said the drug dealer was gonna be here."  
"And he will. Be patient."  
"I don't wanna be patient! I want my money and I want it now!" My fit was quickly interrupted by Casey clamping her hand down on my wrist.

"You listen here, you little brat. Be patient and shut up, or I'll toss you out and watch you suffer like how Mom did. I don't need to babysit you and I can do this on my own."  
I rolled my eyes and muttered some curses under my breath. Casey ignored them. Finally, the dealer arrived. He ignored us and leaned against an opposite wall. Casey's eyes scanned him down, then she snapped her fingers. "Now."

The man had no time to react before I punched him in the face and shoved him to the ground. I went in for the beating, sending blood spewing everywhere and dyeing my fists red. Finally, when he couldn't resist anymore, I jumped off. Casey reached into his long coat and pulled out a wallet. I held out my hand and she dumped half of the contents into my palm.  
We pocketed the coins and headed back onto the street. People stared at us and moved out of the way. Why were they so scared? Violence was practically District 6 culture.

In the residential area, where all the prissy people live, their idea of violence is disturbing the peace. Here, in the industrial part, violence lives in the dark smoggy factories, and the empty alleyways. Gangs, thugs, street kids like myself. We rule this town and use it. We've never been afraid to throw a punch or get into a fight.

Casey and I have been through much worse than a simple scrimmage. We've been abandoned, traded in for a smoking hot boyfriend halfway across the city. We've been tossed around, neglected, because a job is more important than taking care of two young kids. I've seen Casey stab a man and push him down the stairs, leaving him for dead. She says that I'm the only one who cares, since he liked me better than her.

While Casey isn't my best friend, blood is blood and we need to watch out for each other. These streets are not safe to roam alone. And everyone knows I've never been the best at looking out for myself. Without Casey, I'd dead or stuck in the local orphanage. Sure there are moments when I wanted to knock her lights out. But she knows what's doing and how to keep us safe.

Plus, she has no problem with knocking me out herself.

* * *

 _Seine Hopper, 15_  
 _District 6 Female Tribute_

* * *

It was time anyways, so I made my way to the Justice Building. A peacekeeper checked me in, then directed me to the gathering crowd of 15 year-olds. I could see some friends, such as Satina and Kaelin, who smiled and gave me a wave.  
Soon, we all began to squeeze next to one another. I noticed a rather interesting girl next to me. She must've been a bit richer, because her hair was dyed dark purple and she wore a nice dress that complimented her figure nicely.

"Hi," I said shyly when she noticed my staring. "You're cute."  
"Weirdo," the girl muttered, then pushed through the crowd away from me.  
I frowned. Okay, so I gave her a nice comment. What was up with that reaction?

The crowd gradually fell quiet as the Reaping began. The video was shown, the Mayor appeared and read the Treaty of Treason. He introduced our escort, who insisted we just call her Jubilee. This year, her brown hair was curled. I liked the hairstyle. I should draw it someday.

Jubilee took some time grabbing a slip, probably for drama. Finally, she held it up, unfolded it, and read the name out loud. "Seine Hopper!"  
"NO!" A girl in the crowd gasped. I froze in horror when I realized it was me.

My feet were like cement. I walked slowly up towards the stage and blinked back tears. Jubilee took advantage of the opportunity to pick a male name and held up the slip. She unfolded it slowly then read it out. "Nestor Barde!"  
"DANGIT!"

Nestor turned out to be little shorter than me, with light brown skin, dark brown eyes, a sharp cheekbones. His most eye-catching feature was his wild black hair, which fells in tangles down his elbows. He continued to swear at a flustered Jubilee while a Peacekeeper placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Finally, I managed to shake his hand and we were yanked off the stage. I realized I was still clutching my sketchbook tightly to my chest. Quickly, I tightened my grip. I wasn't going to let go.

* * *

 _Nestor Barde, 14_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

Screw that stupid Capitol lady for choosing me. Screw that Peacekeeper for not letting me bite her. Screw Casey for doing nothing. Screw that blonde-haired, grey-eyed, funny-accent girl on the stage for just watching. Screw everyone.

I was still mad when Casey slipped into the room. I didn't want to be here. But they wouldn't let me leave.  
"Well," Casey was smirking. "Look at you. Going into the Games."  
I stared down at my sharp nails. "I don't wanna go."

"Why not? Don't you know how gory they are?" Casey's eyes twinkled in excitement. "There's murderers, there's victims. You could be one of them!"  
"The murderer or the victim?"  
Casey laughed. "What do I care? You win, you've killed. You lose,I get to stop worrying about you."

"Some big sister you are." I muttered.  
"Fine. Guess I'll just wish you good luck." Casey was already at the door. "You're gonna need it."

The door was slammed shut and I was left alone. Already, I could feel the anger boiling inside my veins. I could imagine the girls as her, the boys as him, whoever he was. And I could kill! Kill with no repercussions! Do that here, you get arrested. And I didn't wanna get arrested.

Maybe the Games wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

 **So here we are, the first pair. I tried my best, but did struggle, especially with Seine. Hope their submitters like them and you do too! I'll be seeing you all in District 12!  
**


	6. District 12 Reaping

**Here we are in District 12! Since I didn't upload anything for Christmas, hope everyone had a happy holidays.**  
 **Good thing I'm not too late for New Year's! Ring in 2018 with some good old-fashioned Reapings.**

* * *

 _Brady Griffith, 12_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Hey Dad! Guess what?"  
My father glanced up from the counter, where he was working on making another shoe. "Brady, you just messed up the leather pile! I had it neatly organized!"

"S-sorry...but guess what? My tooth came out!"  
"Well, that's very nice. Now go play outs-what?"

I held it up proudly. "See? It's got some of my blood on it, though. Gross."

Dad tried to smile, even though he liked the idea of seeing a bloody tooth as much as I did. "What happened? You know what, I don't wanna know. Why don't you go take it home and get it all washed? You don''t want to carry a bloody tooth everywhere, do you?"  
That was a good idea. I waved goodbye then ran down the street towards our house. My dog, Captain, was lounging lazily in the yard. When he saw me, he started barking like crazy.

I gave him a pat on the head. "Hey buddy. You've been good today? Come on, let's go play in the yard."  
"Not so fast Brady," My mother had appeared out of almost nowhere, staring at me from the front door. "You've gotta go get ready for the Reapings, then eat your lunch. You can play in the backyard with Captain later."

I didn't like that idea so much, but I wasn't one to argue. I found my nicest clothes laid out for me on my bed. After changing. I slipped into the bathroom and ran a small comb through my hair. Despite how I wanted it to look, the red curls just fell down in front of my eyes. I shook my head and they fell out of the way. Now I could see better.

Dad had already arrived home for lunch. We took our places at the table and chowed down. All throughout the meal, my little sister, Farley, kept talking excitedly about the adventure she went on this morning with her new friend, the daughter of the local baker. I just listened and resisted the urge to toss a piece of food to Captain. He sat beside my chair, hoping for an extra treat.

He always went to me, since I was technically his owner. I was the one who found him, anyways. Sure there were scratches, bites, potty training, carpet stains and a lot of dog food to buy, but I did love him. I loved him as if he were my son.

What a fun dog.

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

While everyone was home eating lunch

* * *

with their families, I was out for money. The town was alive with the noises and sounds of those lucky enough to run their own business and those wealthy enough to afford them.  
Crouched next to the fish vendor's garbage can, I watched the scene. Once again, we had run out of food at home. I had eaten nothing except some thrown out salmon I found inside the can. It wasn't the first time I had eaten trash and wouldn't be the last.

I finished my lunch and tossed away the bones. Slipping out onto the street, I joined the shoppers in walking around and glancing at windows. I kept my sights one a distracted man who was in front of me. His wallet was visibly outlined in his back pocket.  
Reciting my plan in my head, I bumped into him. Sure enough, the confusion allowed me to sneak my hand into the pocket and pull the wallet out, before I fell over and he turned around to look at me.

"I'm so sorry, sir." My voice quickly rose an octave, to try and make me sound as innocent as possible. "It was all my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going and I bumped into you."  
The man gave me a look of sympathy. "No, I'm sorry for not noticing you were there. I hope I didn't hurt you."  
"No, no, no, I'm fine. Listen, I better be getting home. My mother would be so worried about me."

I quickly got up and took off, not stopping until I got home. Mom and Bailey were sitting on the couch, my sister watching my mother count out her earnings.  
"You're home early," I said simply.  
"I've got to take you two to the Reaping," Mom responded as she picked up her money and shoved it into her purse. "Come on, let's go. Maybe I can score a new customer there."

I rolled my eyes. While I made money through stealing, Mom made money through sleeping with people. It worked, since we were able to afford a small house and some other luxuries. But her job constantly interfered with her daily life. How else were Bailey and I brought into the world?

We left for the Justice Building. I made sure to keep a watch out for any familiar face, faces of people I had robbed. They would not be happy to see me and I did not want to get caught by them.

* * *

 _Brady Griffith, 12_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Look," Eli whispered, pointing up towards the stage. "There's a new escort."

My friend was right. Despite not being able to see from the back, there was a new lady from the Capitol. If I remembered correctly, she looked like last year's escort. Maybe they were related?  
The mayor began to read the Treaty of Treason and the video was shown. Eli and I looked at each other. We had seen before, but this was our first time watching it while eligible. Being in the crowded pen of 12 year-olds, a much different perspective was provided.

Finally, the woman introduced herself. "Um...hi. My name is Carissa Pevrolla, but you can call me Carissa. I am the new Capitol mentor for District 12. My older sister used to do this, but...a few months ago...she passed away from a heart attack." Carissa wiped some tears from her face.

"Let's get started with the Reaping! Gonna choose the girl first...um, hold on...just grab whichever..?" the mayor nodded. "Okay, but there's so many...let's go with this one...out loud? Fine. JOSIE DOYLE! There, was that loud enough?"

A dark-skinned girl quietly emerged from the 14 year-old section. Her black hair was short and curly, her dark eyes full of fear. Everyone watched as she climbed the steps to the stage and stood off to the side.

"So you must be Josie! Time to choose the boys!" Carissa announced, right before knocking the glass ball over. "DAMN IT! Oh, did I say that out loud? I'm just gonna grab one off the floor...this one...here we go. BRADY GRIFFITH!"  
No.

My body froze and I felt as if I was made out of cement. I began moving slowly and stiffly towards the stage and the frantic Carissa, trying to clean up the spilled slips. I tried to hurry myself up the stairs but in doing so, I suddenly tripped. I sprawled onto the stage and my head bumped into the microphone. I glanced upwards as it fell on top of me.

CLANK!

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

My district partner had just gotten knocked out. Everyone gasped and I heard someone, most likely his mother, scream. Carissa picked up the microphone off of the kid, trying not to get everything tangled in his hair. She began to argue with the mayor.

"We'll have to skip the handshake...I know it's tradition, but it's not going to work...let's just get this over with...ladies and gentlemen, your tributes for the 7th Hunger Games!"  
Two Peacekeepers led me backstage while a third picked up Brady and followed after. I was dumped into a small room with a velvet couch, where I sat and waited.

Finally, Mom and Bailey spilled through the door. bailey quickly grabbed on to me. "Don't leave us! Please!"  
I wanted to shove her off, but now wasn't the time to push people away. When Bailey finally let go, Mom asked her to wait outside. We were left staring at each other.  
"You know..." Mom finally began. "I...I always wanted the best for you."

"I know," I replied without looking up.  
"No, I mean it. Yes things have been rocky between us, but I'm your mother and I love you. You understand that, right?"

"Yes," I squeaked. Sometimes, I did resent my mother, especially for having given me away for so long. But when it came down to it, she cared for me and was just trying to provide. I gave her one last hug and the Peacekeepers yanked her out of the room. The door slammed in my face and I was left alone.

* * *

 **There's Josie and Brady! Hope you guys like how I wrote them!**

 **If you somehow remembered the original District 12 escort in Rebellious Fate, Marissa, this is her younger sister Carissa! Aren't I just great with names?**


	7. District 8 Reaping

**Happy New Year! It's 2018! And it's cold! Seriously cold.**  
 **How about I kick off the new year with some Reapings! Here's District 8.**

* * *

 _Paisley Weftin, 16_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

Just like always, the whistle went off at 12 o'clock. Its piercing shriek let everybody in the factory know our morning shift was over. I followed the crowd of workers down the stairs and out onto 8's crowded streets. There was no afternoon shift. We were all told to spend this extra time with our families before the Reapings began.

As I got closer towards the town, I couldn't help but overhear talk about the dreaded Hunger Games. Worried mothers and fathers expressing concern. Chatty friends making jokes about whose name was to be called. The local shop owners doing their best to sound comforting, despite knowing their kids were much safer.  
I knew why people were worried, but I never felt the same. The Reapings barely lasted an hour, just a blemish on one day out of the whole year. There was no need to break routine. And I hated breaking routine.

As usual, lunch was being made. Chambray was trying her hand at putting something together and Mom was giving her advice. I watch for a bit until my sister finally looked over her shoulder and caught sight of me. "Oh, hey Paisley."  
"Hi. You guys are home early."

"Yeah, they always let people out early today. " Chambray absentmindedly brushed some strands of brown hair out of her face. "Can you help out?"  
"Sure." I pulled out some dishes, set the table, then tried to wrestle my younger brothers into their seats. Easier said then done.

A few minutes later, lunch was done and Dad had arrived home. We all sat down, then Dad shared the latest bit of news. "They're gonna be doing a rebel sweep over the next few days."  
Mom gasped. "Really? I thought all the activity had simmered down by now!"  
"Apparently not. There's word that an escapee from District 6, who was last seen in 10, is trying to contact somebody here. So the Peacekeepers are hunting the rebels down, in case they're part of the action. We're really not supposed to know this, but considering that the mayor understands we never had anything to do with them..."

My parents continued to talk. I just sat and ate. I was lucky my family never had anything to do with rebels. Those were always the ones who never lived a comfortable life. They were the ones who changed Panem as we knew it.

* * *

 _Christopher "Kit" Belmont, 12_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

I watched as Mom put the last touches on the new dress, then carried it out to the store's front window. It was a pretty thing, layered with soft pink fabric and shiny red ribbons. A wonderful wear for whoever got to buy it.  
Mom caught me staring and just smiled. "Don't worry Kit, I've saved some fabric for you. But your break is over. Back to work."

"Oops." There was a customer standing patiently at the counter, who I hadn't noticed up until now. "I'm sorry. Can I help you?"  
The customer held up a brown dress and some coins. I took the money from her and waved goodbye as she left. "Have a nice day!"

This went on for a bit longer, until Dad flipped the sign in the window from "OPEN" to CLOSED." He picked up the broom from out of the corner and made a beeline for the counter. The broom was placed into my hands.  
"Alright buddy. The sooner we get this place cleaned, the less time it takes."  
I sighed. While I loved our dress shop and all the bright fabrics we got to work with, I never liked having to sweep the floors. But the rule was whoever took the care of the cash register, the best job, had to also help clean up.

Five minutes into sweeping, I heard someone call my name. I dropped the broom and ran to the back. "Yes? What is it?"  
Mom was sitting at our sewing machine, clearly in the middle of making something. She pointed at the boxes of materials sitting against the wall. "Why don't you pick something you like? You're starting to grow out of your old clothes anyways."

Eagerly, I dug through the boxes and found what I was looking for. I held it up to Mom. "I want to match the the dress in the window?"  
Mom nodded and got to work. I couldn't help but admire her expert work at turning the scrap fabric into my brand new shirt. I loved the work she put into it. Best of all, it was pink.

I just loved pink.

* * *

 _Paisley Weftin, 16_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

We arrived at the Justice Building at exactly half past one. I glanced at the town square clock to make sure.  
A quick round of "I'll see you later." was doled out and we all promised to meet at the exact same spot afterwards. Calico followed me towards the pens and waved goodbye as he joined the sea of 13 year-old boys. I found my section and stood patiently.

"...and tonight, all the ghosts of dead tributes rise up from the grave and roam the streets, haunting those who were lucky to make it out this year!" I felt a tug on my shoulders as Mari latched onto me. "WHOOOOO!"  
"That's stupid," Nina responded, shaking her head. "Ghosts aren't real."

"Yeah," I added quickly. Nina gave me a small smile of relief. "Oh thank goodness somebody here isn't a nutjob."  
"You two may be non-believers, but we'll see who gets the last laugh when you get spooked tonight." Mari chuckled. I just rolled my eyes. Leave it to my friend to come up with some crazy legend.

The Reapings started right on time, opening with the video and the Treaty of Treason. Then there was the introduction of our only Victor, Sliver Wirth. He gave the crowd a small wave as our escort playfully elbowed him in the ribs. Sliver just shoved him away and sat down. "Get on with it, Christof."

"You're no fun. But fine. Our female tribute is..." Christof paused as he dug through the glass bowl of names. He yanked one out and quickly opened it up. "Paisley Weftin!"

 _Paisley Weftin._  
Both Nina and Mari glanced over at me in surprise. I was quite surprised as well. Me? Called for the Hunger Games?

I pushed past the other girls until I was directly in front of the stage, then kept going. The motions felt so unnatural. The scene kept replaying in my head. Over and over. Yet, it still didn't feel real. It felt as if this never had happened.

But it did. And in a few seconds, I was standing tall next to District 8's beloved victor, for everyone to see.

* * *

 _Christopher "Kit" Belmont, 12_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

The girl whose name was just called had pale skin, just like me. Her hair was brown and braided. She was wearing a pair of glasses and rather plain clothes. Much different from the ones my family wore and made.

Christof was already holding another slip. "And our other tribute is...Christopher Belmont."  
What? Him? No, that was silly. That wasn't possible. That was...me.

Then the tears began to fall. I stumbled my way towards Christof as tears formed into my eyes. They fell even faster as I heard some boys laughing and caught sight of a few fingers pointing at the bright pink clothes I was wearing. I tried to ignore them.

Finally, the anthem was playing. Per tradition, paisley and I shook each other's hands. I followed the Peacekeepers inside the Justice Building. As soon as they dumped me inside one of the rooms, my family burst in.

Mom wrapped me in a tight hug, gently brushing my messy blonde hair out of my face. "Kit, my dear...I am so sorry."  
"It's okay."  
"We love you very much, you know."

"I know. I love you guys too." When Mom finally let go, I could see her crying. Dad gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder and they stepped outside, him whispering things into her ear. I turned to my sisters and they both tackled me, forming a giant Belmont sandwich.

"Gonna miss you, Kit." Faye said sadly.  
"Yeah," Anabel added. "It's not gonna be as fun without you."  
"Thanks. I 'll miss you guys too. And Mom and Dad."

When my family left, I sat quietly and smoothed out my pink shirt. I made it myself, with Mom's guidance. Remembering that reminded me of the home I was leaving behind. I quickly wiped away my tears with my shirt. I was trying to keep myself positive, but it was hard. Even the comforting pink didn't make anything easier.

* * *

 **So, here we have Kit and Paisley! Yeah, I know there are two Paisleys. Good thing I put them in separate districts.**

 **Hoped you liked these two. To their submitters, I hoped I portrayed them right! Next chapter we'll be visiting District 10, so stay tuned for that!**


	8. District 10 Reaping

**District 10, baby!**

* * *

 _Eagle Roseworth, 16_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

I filled up the watering can with the hose, then began pouring out the contents into the grass. This was one of the many odd jobs I did around the district, helping old Mrs. Stein with her sheep farm. Currently, I was watering the field where the sheep liked to graze. Several of them were already crowded at the gate, waiting for me to open it and let them in.  
"Alright, alright." I opened the gate and the sheep hurried through. "Go nuts, guys. It's _pasture_ breakfast time." I laughed to myself and one sheep baaed in response.

Mrs. Stein chuckled as she followed the sheep through the gate and gave me a small handful of coins. "Nice one, Eagle. Here's your pay."  
"Thanks. I should be getting home now. My mom's probably worried about me."  
"I can imagine. Is she...doing better?"

"Yeah." I gave Mrs. Stein a sad smile. "She's been playing the piano a lot. I think it helps calm her down."  
While the instrument had been a bit of a splurge, the music helped both of us. The music seemed to have a soothing effect on my Mom, while I enjoyed seeing her play. She had been looking for ways to help herself heal ever since my dad died, and I guessed she had found one.

As I predicted, she was in the living room when I got home, reading from a book of songs I bought for her. I just stood in the doorway and listened, tapping my foot out to match the rhythm. I jiggled my leg a bit and swung my arms, as if I was dancing along to the melody.  
When she finished playing, my mom looked up. "Oh, hey Eagle. Didn't see you there."

"It looks like you've been busy."  
"I have. There's this one piece I've been practicing, but I think I'm getting there. It's by...Bee...Bee...Beethoven." She pointed to the page the book was flipped to.

"Nice! Well, keep it up!"  
"Thanks, but I need a break." Mom flexed her fingers. "They get a little sore after a while."  
"Yeah, I bet that can be a bit of _treble_." I chuckled loudly and Mom gave me a small grin. "I'm sorry, that one was really bad."

"I found it funny."  
"So it wasn't so bad after all. I'm gonna work on some new ones. If you needed me, I'll be in my room."

With that, I bounded up the stairs.

* * *

 _Shana Trine, 17_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

No matter how hard I scrubbed, the stupid dried up blood refused to come off. It wasn't that big of a deal but if I was to go out again tonight, I would preferred cleaner weapons. Plus, these knives belonged to my father. He hated when I took them without asking permission first.

I wet the cloth I was using, washing off all the dirt and blood. Then I scrubbed at the knife again. Finally, everything was coming off, leaving behind the sharp, shiny blade. It was a pretty sight and I hated to be the animal who would be the first to see it.  
I set the knife to dry, then threw the cloth back into the sink. I carried the weapons downstairs and left them in their spot. My father was currently watching some Games reruns that were airing. Since neither of us had to work today, I headed over.

Genevieve Virce, Master of Ceremonies, was providing comments over highlights of the 6th Hunger Games. They were showing one of the most gruesome deaths, in which District 1's Diamante Marlowe chased after a boy and sliced through his stomach. Despite knowing his victim was dead, Diamante kept going, until he had completely cut the tribute's chest open. The footage then cut to the finale, between Diamante and Fjord Hemmings. Despite having the upper hand, the District 1 golden boy was reduced to nothing when he received his own sword to the head.

That was it. There was no yanking out the weapon and going for the kill. Once the sword made contact with his opponent's head, Fjord stopped fighting. He didn't go back and tried to draw out those final moments, even though he had a huge rivalry with Diamante. He just let everything quickly happen, then shakily claimed his victory.  
Why couldn't I be that merciful?

Why did I have to do what I did and sneak out of the house to slaughter? How come whenever I did my job of slicing up grain to prepare it for animal feed, did I imagine the stalks as cow heads? Why did I make everything so long and drawn out, despite hearing the pigs give their shrieks of pain?  
Why did I enjoy it?

Dad shut off the TV. Just as he got up from the chair, he saw me. "Oh. Hi Shana."  
I simply ignored my father. He got the message and left the room. He tried, but I never really talked to him. Silence was our form of communication. Our actions spoke for our words. And my actions certainly spoke volumes.

* * *

 _Eagle Roseworth, 16_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

I quickened my pace as we got closer to the Justice Building, Mom trailing behind me. She waved goodbye and promised to meet me back at the house. I lined up with the other teenagers getting themselves checked in. Strangely, some of them looked a bit uncomfortable around me. I knew why, but tried to ignore it.

"Name please," the bored Peacekeeper muttered, checking off random things in the book on the table. He had his helmet off and was probably new, since I didn't recognize him.  
"Eagle Roseworth. I'm 16."  
"Roseworth..." I was signed in and the Peacekeeper gave me a harsh shove off to the side. "I know where I've heard that name before. You better not pull anything off, Roseworth, or there will be consequences."

I resisted glaring at the Peacekeeper as I walked off. A 12 year-old boy with dark hair watched me with interest. "Wow he was really rude to you."  
"Yeah. "  
"It's okay, they were mean to me too." The boy gave me a cheeky smile. "It's probably because of my last name. I'm Thomas, by the way. Thomas Colston."

"Eagle Roseworth." Hearing the boy's name reminded me of someone my dad used to work with before he died. I thought about this as I got to my pen and stood with the other 16 year-olds. The Reapings started shortly afterwards, with the video and the Treaty. There were loud cheers as Arley Dawson, our only victor, stepped out onto the stage. She beamed at the attention, then sat down.

Like always, our escort was the same man since the Games started. Vermont didn't waste any time choosing a girl's name. "Shana Trine!"  
A tall girl with honey brown skin and dark brown hair stepped out from the 17 year-old section. She took a few steps before stopping suddenly and bursting into tears. I felt a pang of sympathy. This girl didn't serve to go into the Games. Nobody did. This was the exact thing that my dad tried to stop, before the Capitol ruthlessly burnt him alive.

I should've seen it coming. I should've expected it would happen at some point. because the next name Vermont chose was one I had not been expecting.

"Eagle Roseworth!"  
 _Damn it!_

* * *

 _Shana Trine, 17_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

I wiped away my tears and tried to keep myself standing tall. It wasn't easy. I could feel a sense of judgement. From those I worked with at my job, to my father's coworkers in the slaughterhouse, to the livestock in the background that seemed to know what I had done to their kind.

I was glad I wasn't in Eagle's position. He was clearly angry and upset, muttering several curse words under his breath. He black hair sat messily on his head, some strands occasionally falling into his big blue eyes. We were about the same height, though I probably towered over him by a hair.

Inside the Justice Building, I didn't have to wait long before my father crept in through the door. We exchanged glances. Finally, he moved towards me. I stood there and let him wrap his strong steady arms wrap around my body. I felt his mustache brush against my forehead. This was the first hug I had been given in a long time.

He couldn't see it from where he was, but I was crying. The Games were a "kill or be killed" sport. I had done my fair share of killing, mercilessly slicing through those animals until they were dead. In the arena with no self-control, what was to stop me from doing the same to the tributes?

"I'm sorry."  
"Hmm?"  
My father tightened his grip on me. "I'm sorry, Shana. I...you...I mean..." He just sighed. As kind as he was, our relationship was practically nonexistent. I almost never talked to him. These words were hard for both of us to say.

Finally, we let go. I felt his hands press firmly on my shoulder as he stared me in the eye. "You just...do what you can. And then come home."  
"Got it.'

My father opened the door and retreated down the hallway. A Peacekeeper then poked his head in. "The train is here, Miss Trine. Ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

 **So that was Eagle and Shana. I hoped their submitters like what I wrote for them and that you guys enjoyed their Reaping as well. I'm gonna be doing District 5 next!**


	9. District 5 Reaping

**Sorry for the wait. I was having a bit of writer's block.**

* * *

 _Brynnelle "Brynn" Levitt, 15_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

I pulled my fanciest dress out of my closet and quickly brushed off some stray lint. It used to belong to my mother, but I took it since I was now taller than her. She didn't mind that I had it. Well, she never cared too much about what I did, because she was always mad at my little sister. I could hear the shouting from my room.

CRASH!  
"You little brat! Look what you've done!"  
"I'm so sorry, Mom-"  
Yeah, you better be sorry! That was expensive! Go clean it...you know what, I'll clean it up myself. I can't have you misbehaving and breaking something else!"

There was the sound of Mom muttering curses and Olivia crying. I opened my door and saw her run up the stairs. "Olivia, what's wrong?"  
"Mommy's mad at me again!"  
"Why? What happened?"

"I...I accidentally broke some plates!" Olivia wailed. I led her into my room and sat her down on my bed. "Hey look...it's okay."  
"You sure?"  
"Of course. I know that you didn't mean to do it. Accidents happen sometimes."

"I know," Olivia wiped some tears from her eyes.  
"Feel better now?"  
"Yep!" Olivia sprung forward and wrapped her little arms around me. "Thank you, Brynn! You're the best!"

I smiled and watched her run off to go play. Sure my little sister was autistic and needed a little bit of attention or help sometimes, she was still the sweetest little girl I knew. I changed out of my normal clothes and put the dress on. A bit big, but still fit. I ran a brush through my hair and managed to pull it into two braids. I was now good to go.

Mom had just finished cleaning up the broken shards when I came downstairs. She gave me a tired smile. "Hello, Brynnelle."  
"Hey Mom."  
"Do you mind helping me start lunch? I've got my hands full at the moment. Your sister just doesn't know how to keep her hands to herself."

I just sighed and pulled some new plates from the cupboard, while my mother continued to go on about how she had to do _everything_ around the house, with no help from her youngest whatsoever. Good thing Olivia wasn't around to hear it.

* * *

 _Zeke Beckett, 16_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

I flipped through the album until I found the page I was looking for. "Hey Francesco. Remember this?"  
My older brother rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I was experimenting. There's nothing wrong with having long hair."

"Yeah, but yours was a mullet," I laughed.  
Dad popped his head in the living room. "Alright boys, it's time to go."

We joined Quinn and Mom at the front door. Dad clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention. "Remember kids, try not to get yourselves Reaped. The Beckett clan needs to stay together no matter what!"  
I liked that idea.

There were several other families walking alongside as we headed for the Justice Building. I noticed a couple of old friends, like Walter and his brother. It felt a bit awkward, considering I hadn't seen him in so long.  
I made sure that I gave my parents and Francesco a hug each, even though we would be meeting up in an hour. Finally, Quinn dragged me over to the pens

The last few kids shuffled in, then the Reaping began. I felt my stomach began to churn. Every single year, I hated this. I hated seeing all the videos on gore and bloodshed, the idea that your name was in that glass ball and you could be chosen. oh, why did make us have to participate in the Hunger Games? Why not a nicer competition?

The only comforting sight was our escort mustache. Spartacus looked exactly the same as he did last year and his facial hair still pretty amusing. I heard a couple of snickers and giggles. Spartacus ignored them and proceeded to choose the female tribute.  
"Brynnelle Levitt!"

Somewhere in the back, a little girl began to cry. Brynnelle was only 15 years old, but way taller than I was. Her thick, auburn hair was pulled into two braids and I could see freckles all over her face. She showed no emotion, but was shaking slightly.  
Now, it was time to choose the male tribute. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

"Zeke Beckett!"

"NO!" I shrieked, tears flooding to my eyes. A pair of Peacekeepers yanked me out of the crowd, but I tried to push back. "N-no, somebody...help!"  
I was marched towards the Justice Building, with no hope of escaping. On the way, I passed Quinn. He was on the verge of crying and seeing his face just made me sob harder.

* * *

 _Brynnelle "Brynn" Levitt, 15_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

The Peacekeepers from dumped the pale boy onto the stage, then retreated. He stopped crying long enough to shake my hand as the Reapings drew to a close.

Inside the Justice Building, Olivia practically jumped on me. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she wrapped her arms around me. "Brynn, no! You can't leave us!"  
"Olivia, calm down. It's alright."  
"No, it's not! I don't wanna lose my big sister!" Olivia hiccuped. She hugged me even tighter.

"She's right," I heard Mom say. "What will I...we...do without you?"  
"You'll have to manage." My voice was a bit chillier than expected. Hopefully, I still got my point across. Mom couldn't continue to treat Olivia like this. I simply stroked Olivia's hair while I waited for her response.

Finally, Mom just nodded. Maybe she understood me, maybe she didn't. She simply placed a hand on Olivia's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go."  
"Noooo!" Olivia was wailing now. "I don't wanna leave Brynn!"  
"Olivia, you'll be okay! Trust me!" I bent down so we were staring right at each other. "You're gonna be okay. You know that I love you no matter what."

My sister wiped a stray tear off her face. "I...I love you too."  
I gave her one last hug, then let her go. My family disappeared, and the door was shut. I was left alone.

I waited for a bit, expecting the Peacekeepers to come collect me. Instead, the door opened to reveal a neatly dressed man.  
"Dad?" I hadn't seen him since he and Mom split.  
"Hey honey. Look, I'm sorry this happened to you."

I just sat there. After not having any contact with him in so long, it felt like there was a stranger sitting with me. After a few minutes of silence, Dad finally got up to leave. "Good luck, Brynnelle."

"Thanks."

* * *

 _Zeke Beckett, 16_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

Everybody was reassuring me. Mom, Dad, Francesco, Quinn. I was receiving hugs from all sides, as they promised me that I would do good. I had finally stopped crying, but I didn't feel any better than before.  
"It's okay, Zeke," Mom whispered. "You still have a shot."

"Yeah," Francesco added. "Just set a goal to win, and you can do it!"  
I tapped my foot impatiently against the carpeted floor. While it was nice to know my family believed in me, I was having a hard time agreeing with them. What if I didn't win?

Dad must've known what I was thinking. "Zeke...it's okay. You just try your best and give it your all. That's all that matters. We'll be proud of you no matter what."  
That made me feel a little bit better. "Thanks Dad."

Time was up. The Peacekeepers ushered my family outside. Quinn, the last to leave, turned around and gave me a sympathetic look. The Peacekeepers slammed the door in his face.  
I was now alone. And that was enough to the fear to seep in again. Unsure of what to do, I collapsed on the couch. It wasn't very comfortable, but I needed to do something before I went nuts.

I kicked at the ground, casually tossed a pillow around, anything to distract me from thinking of my doom. Finally, there was knock at the door. The Peacekeepers who grabbed me in the crowd were waiting on the other end.  
"The train is here," one of them said. "Are you ready to go?"

"...sure..." I got off the couch and followed them outside. Everybody else was waiting for me. We were led onto the train. From there, we took off and I looked through the windows at the comfort I was forced to leave behind.

 _Goodbye District 5._

* * *

 **So, that was Brynn and Zeke! I added some small extra details into their characters. I hope their submitters like what I've done with them.**

 **We're gonna be halfway through the Reapings soon! Next chapter, we'll be visiting District 2!**


	10. District 2 Reaping

**Here's District 2! I did change a couple of things with the tributes so they could fit better into the current version of District 2, the district not having a full-fledged Academy yet.**

 **Also, I'm working on a side project called The Tribute Tales! The first chapters have already been published, so check it out if you want.**

* * *

 _Challis Scorn, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

Dad stepped aside, revealing a crudely painted dummy. It was given an angry face and looked like it was shouting. I swung my mace and whacked the dummy sideways. It fell and I jumped on top of it, beating it until I was sure I had "killed" it. Dad gave me a pat on the back.  
"Nice work, Challis."

"Thanks," I smiled. Although I was currently living with my girlfriend, it was nice to come back and visit my family whenever I could. Dad was always there to help me brush up my training skills.  
"You think I'm ready?" I asked him.  
"Of course. We've been planning this for a while. Now, let's go over everything one more time. The escort draws the name of a boy. It's not you. What do you say?"

"I volunteer."  
"Good. When you get up there, they might ask you why you're volunteering. How are you going to answer?" Dad began picking up the dummy...or what was left of it. Somehow, I had knocked the head off the body and all the way across the yard.  
"I answer in a way that shows my loyalty and patriotism," I responded. "I'll figure what what I'm gonna say when I get there."

"Excellent! Now, if you just follow those steps, you'll be fine." Dad pointed to the mace in my hand. "And don't forget your training."  
"I'm sure I won't. What about my medication? They won't let me bring it along."

"You'll have to talk to your mentor. Hopefully you'll get something there. I'm sure the Capitol will take good care of you."  
Of course they would. the Capitol loved its devoted servants, such as my family. I had been waiting all my life for this moment, the moment when I would pay back our beloved government and fight to the death as their warrior.

Training was the way to go. I couldn't call myself a dedicated servant if I didn't know what I was doing. I was lucky Dad was willing to help me out, since I wasn't allowed in the local Peacekeeper Academy. They said it was because I wasn't training to become a Peacekeeper.  
After helping Dad throw out the ruined dummy and put everything else away, we headed inside. Mom ran over excitedly and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Oh Challis, you are going to make us so proud today!"

It wasn't just her who was going to be proud. It was all of the Capitol. All of the loyalists. I was going to be the face of the nation.

* * *

 _Victoria Mason, 17_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

When they announced the opening of the brand new Peacekeeper Academy, I was one of many kids who asked their parents for the permission to sign up. Not to train as a future Peacekeeper, though. That was the main purpose of the Academy, but I didn't really care.  
Some kids wanted to train just in case. Some were bored and needed a way to spend their time. Others were considering pulling a Claymore Regans and volunteering to win the Hunger Games.

This was my case.

I thought about the steps I needed to take as Alcestis poked her head into my room. She probably thought I was reading. Well, I was. But I had hidden a special sheet of paper in my book. One with a fully detailed Games plan. My Games plan.  
 _Step 1: Train._ That one was crossed off. After all, I had done all the training I could. I glanced down the list.

 _Step 2: Volunteer._  
 _Step 3: Fight through the Games and win._  
 _Step 4: Claim fame and fortune. Move into Victor's Village with everyone but her._  
 _Step 5: Make Dad wonder why he ever wanted to marry her in the first place._

"Victoria!" Alcestis was back. "It's lunchtime. Come down and eat."  
"In a bit."  
"What's wrong with coming down now? I'm certain your father would love for us to have a simple meal together as a family."

Fine. I let my book slip from my hands and onto my bed. I'd go downstairs for a simple meal, then come back up to my room and review my strategy once more. It was always good to come prepared. In my case, I was very prepared.  
Prepared to rise to victory. To elevate the Mason name and get us a better live. Well, everyone except my stepmother. She tarnished the family a long time ago and could never undo her actions.  
I never forgot or forgave. I would make sure she knew that.

* * *

 _Challis Scorn, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Please be careful, baby," Brianna whispered, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "If you die, you'll break my heart."  
"I already broke your heart when we met. Surely, I'm not gonna do it again." I gave Brianna a grin and she halfheartedly returned it. "Come on, don't you believe in me?"  
"I do, but..." she sighed. "I guess there's no talking you out of it. Good luck."

Not everyone seemed to excited about my method of repaying the Capitol. Brianna was one of them. But in the end, it was up to me to decide whether I wanted to go through with this or not.  
Throughout the Reapings, I was nervous. Second by second, minute, by minute, my time was coming closer and closer. _What if I say the words too late? What if someone else volunteers? What if I have an episode up there? I don't have my medication on me-_

"Give it up for our first ever Victor, Claymore Regans!"  
Everyone went crazy. I joined in. Claymore was a celebrity in our district. An icon. And if things went my way, I could sit alongside him next year. He was a tall man, with a square jaw and straight black hair. Upon a wave of his hand, everyone started screaming again.

Silence filled the atmosphere once the escort, the infamous Jasmine Chang, took the stage. She took her time choosing the name for the girls, to increase the suspense. Finally, she was holding an unfolded slip in her hands. "Leora Tumac!"  
Slowly, a 14 year-old girl slipped from the crowd, moving as if she was in a dream. A dream that was interrupted by someone yelling, "I VOLUNTEER!"

A tanned girl burst from the crowd of 17 year-olds, long brown hair flying out from behind. I finally got a glimpse of her face, slightly intimidated by her sharp features.  
"What's your name, dearie?" Jasmine asked, holding up the microphone.  
"Mason. Victoria Mason."

"Thank you, Victoria." Jasmine was now holding a second slip. "Orion Becker!"  
A skinny boy beside me began pushing his way through. It was my time to shine. To show the Capitol what I was made of.

"I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"

* * *

 _Victoria Mason, 18_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

The first thing I noticed about my new fellow tribute was his height. I always thought I was a pretty good height for my age, but he completely towered over me. His eyes were brown, like mine, and his black hair straight as straw.  
"My name is Challis Scorn," he said. "And I'm planning on winning, to show the Capitol we're forever their dedicated servants and warriors!"

I swear I saw Claymore roll his eyes.

Inside the Justice Building, I was expecting my family to act excited about the opportunity I had for myself. Instead, they were confused. My half-siblings exchanged glances and my father let a single tear trickle down his cheek.  
"Is something wrong?"  
"Victoria, I...I didn't know you wanted to volunteer," Dad said softly.

I felt a small pang of guilt. I probably should've told them.  
"I'm doing this for you and me. To get us a better life."

"What's going on, Olive?" Little Calvin asked, only to get shushed by his big sister. Alcestis just gave me a cold stare. If she was trying to be intimidating, it wasn't working.  
"Keeping such secrets from your own family! What a shameful act!"  
I didn't say anything. Alcestis was trying to make me regret my decision, but I stood by it. I had come this far and wasn't going to let her bring me down.

"I understand the risks that came with volunteering, but I'm doing it for the best. Don't worry about me. I love you guys."  
Alcestis just led Olive and Calvin out of the room, both waving goodbye. Dad stayed with me a little longer.  
"Dad...it's okay. I can handle this."

"I know you can and I didn't doubt you for a second. I just don't want to lose you...you and I have come so far together..."  
I knew what my father was trying to imply. When Mom died, we had nobody but each other to turn to for comfort. If something happened to me, he'd be alone. Sure he had my stepmother, but she wasn't exactly a shoulder to cry on.

"I'll come back. I promise."

* * *

 **So that was Challis and Victoria! I hope you guys like how I fit them into my headcanons of District 2. Since the Peacekeeper Academy was originally a mansion handed over to Claymore by a deceased Peacekeeper, he intended it for that purpose. But it made sense that parents would enroll their kids not for Peacekeeper training, but for worst-case scenario. Victoria has Academy training but Challis's form said he started training with his father, so he isn't enrolled in the Academy.  
**

 **Next up will be an interlude, then we'll be getting back into the Reapings! Stay tuned for that!**


	11. Interlude: You're Hired!

**I've decided to write a little interlude so we can see what's happening with some special characters. In this case, it's Topaz from a few chapters back. Remember him?  
**

* * *

 _Topaz Blitzen, aged 21_  
 _"Capitolite"_

* * *

 _22 days before the Reapings..._

* * *

"Wait a second...you know a guy who knows a guy who owns a private hovercraft? That's insane!"  
"I know. But Benjamin doesn't know who you are. He thinks you're some random Capitolite."  
"That's what you told him?"

"Yes," Foxy replied. "So you've gotta keep the act up. You know what else to do, right?"  
"Whatever James told me to do."  
"Where is he?"  
"Still in 10."

"It might be best for him to stay there." I could barely hear Foxy over the sound of a hovercraft landing. "Here it comes. Good luck."  
"Good luck to you too."

With that, I was waved over by Benjamin. After climbing in, we took off and I watched Foxy Champagne fade away until he was nothing but a speck.

* * *

That was three weeks ago. Now, District 1 was the last thing on my mind. I had another interview waiting for me and a goal to accomplish.  
Nobody could be too sure what James was thinking. Not even I was. Somehow, he hijacked a phone and sent a call in to me. I was to travel to the Capitol and get in with the Gamemakers.

Of course he wanted me to do it. I wasn't the one whose face had been plastered all over Panem. But the job was easier said then done. After all, if you wanted to be a Gamemaker, there were some powerful people you had to meet.

I wasn't going to admit that I was afraid of Taurus Blackman...but I was.

For starters, he was tall. I had always been a bit short for my age, but I just barely came up to his neck. His dark brown hair sometimes changed its style, but now it stuck up on his head, the tips dyed blond. It reminded me of a bull's horns. Perfect for skewering.  
What freaked me out the most were his eyes. They were pitch-black and hard to read. Whenever I saw Taurus excited, a wild gleam would appear in his irises. I couldn't help but worry what it meant.

This was supposed to be the day. The day where he decided whether I was a valuable addition to the Gamemaker team or not. I liked to think I was doing pretty well. Taurus seemed impressed with my resume, even though it was made up. I let him listen to some phone calls from my references, even though those were just recordings of my voice with the pitch shifted.  
Now, I sat across from him inside an office. The door was shut, the blinds covering the windows. I squirmed a bit and hoped he wouldn't notice.

Finally, Taurus cleared his throat. "As you know, Mr. Blitzen, I've been rather impressed with what you've shown me."  
"Thank you." I managed a small smile.  
Aside from interviews, there was other stuff I had done. Worked as Taurus's personal assistant for a day. Organized a filing cabinet. Helped another Gamemaker put together some projections. I even got to fiddle with the technology they used.

"And I'm sure you're also aware that there's a lot of competition for just this one spot. Unfortunately, we can only accept one application before we'll be at maximum level."  
"I understand." I rubbed my palms together underneath the table.  
"I've been meeting with each applicant separately to let them know their fate. In this case, I'm letting you know whether we think you're fit for the job."

Taurus spoke in a rather calm voice that felt unfitting. I was starting to worry. What if I didn't get the job? What was I supposed to do then? Could he tell that I was so worried? Was I worrying too much? Ugh, I hate getting worried!

Once he was done talking, Taurus simply folded his hands and looked my in the eye. I forced myself to keep the stare and smiled politely, even though I was a nervous wreck on the inside.  
"Well...Mr. Blackman, I trust that you have rather good judgment...and...whoever you hire will be really excited with the opportunity..."

Taurus was now smiling back. "Aren't you kind."  
It took me a minute to decipher his words. I swear my jaw hit the table. "You mean..."  
"Of course. Welcome to the team, Mr. Blitzen."

It seemed to good to be true. I was finally in!  
"Oh, thank you, sir! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I gushed. "You have no idea how much this means to me...I'm just curious, what made me stand out so much?"

"In your form, you put that you have lived in District 1 for a short period of time. I'm not sure how, but majority of those who tried out for our position have only been living in the Capitol."  
"Okay...?" I actually thought putting that on my resume would get me into huge trouble.

"Each arena is often set to follow a different theme. Last year, we chose the theme of mystery. This went for everything, from the stone labyrinth to the rare flowers we added. Sometimes, we like to take touches from the Districts, just to mix things up a little. If you have knowledge of resources that extend outside the Capitol, you'll be perfect for adding the finer details.""  
"What's the theme for this year?"

Taurus stood up and I instantly began to worry I had asked the wrong question. Was I not supposed to know?  
"How about I show you? We need to get your office set up anyways."

"Sounds great? What am I going to be doing?"  
"Starting out small. For now, you'll just be adding the finishing touches on the plants."

I felt a bit disappointed. "That's...that's it?"  
Taurus smirked and rolled his eyes. "You newbies are so much fun. Somebody's gotta do it!"  
"Oh, alright."

* * *

 **There wasn't much to this chapter. Just Taurus and Topaz. Wow, I love my T names.  
Also, thanks for almost 70 reviews in just 10 chapters. That's awesome.**

 **After this chapter we'll be back onto the Reapings, starting with District 11. See you all there!**


	12. District 11 Reaping

**Sorry about the wait. I've had this one essay that's been kicking my butt lately, alongside a bunch of other projects. Plus, I was camping all weekend.**

* * *

 _Gaya Westbay, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

I poked through the bookshelf on my room, looking at each book cover. I had read all of them reveal times each and since the District library had been destroyed a long time ago, there wasn't much of a way to get new ones. Normally, I would've spent a summer day like this working alongside my father in the orchards, but they gave everyone the day off.

Eventually, I settled on a bigger book titled _Famous Fairy Tales_. My mom was gave it to me for my birthday. A long time ago...before all those bombings happened...and everybody started hating each other...and there was always someone I could actually trust.  
I opened up the book and began to read. The fairy tales always interested me. One was about a princess with hair so long, it could be climbed. Another was about a frog who needed a kiss to turn him human. A third fairy tale featured a scary beast and a magical rose...

The door to my room creaked open as my mother dumped some clean laundry onto my bed. "Hello, Gaya. Doing some reading?"  
I nodded.  
"Good. When you're done, I want you to put these clothes away."

I gave my mother another nod. She was used to it, knowing she wouldn't really get much more out of me. It wasn't that I hated my parents. They were some really nice people who looked out for their daughter. I just...wasn't the type to do a lot of interacting. Especially in an age where anybody could be a rebel.

No, it's better to be safe than sorry. You can never be sure your loyalties lie with the right person. It's better not to trust than to get blindsided or betrayed.

I finished the beast fairy tale and moved on to one about a girl who did all the housework. She had a mean stepmother and horrid stepsisters, who made her sleep in the fireplace. Perhaps things would've stayed like that if she hadn't left her glass slipped behind at the royal ball, where a prince found it, found her, and married her. then, they lived a happily ever after.

It was a really nice story, minus the part where her stepsisters cut off their own toes. Too bad such nice stories no longer exist in Panem.

* * *

 _Basileon "Leo" Fungo, 13_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Bad omens today, Leo. Bad omens."  
I sighed into my cereal. My mother was often right about bad omens. Now, she was pointing to my horoscope in the newspaper. "Look. This week isn't going to be your week. You need to be careful."  
"Okay mother."  
"You know those troublemaker teenagers with the morphling and powdery stuff? Avoid them. They'll probably end up as your downfall."

"I understand."  
"Come on Lesia, no need to be so hard on the boy," Uncle Bam announced, strolling into the room. He patted me on the shoulder. "He's still a kid."

Mom rolled her eyes. "You're late."  
"The lab's closed today, so I might as well sleep in for as long as possible." Uncle Bam quickly took the seat next to me and began buttering a piece of toast.

The table was quiet after that, before Mom dumped her dishes in the sink and took the newspaper with her up to her room. I was sure she would be looking for some way to protect herself from the omens. I wasn't going to argue with that.  
Uncle Bam leaned over to me. "Hey, what do you think about coming down to the lab with me after the Reaping? I've got to drop some stuff off there...and maybe we can see which mushrooms you haven't tried yet."

I gave him a small smile. "Sure...but what if Mom wants us home afterwards...or she finds out?"  
My uncle just shrugged. "Well...I guess if you don't want to go..."  
"N-no, I want to come!"

"Good! Then it's settled. Now you finish your breakfast and get dressed."  
"Okay." I quickly finished the last of my cereal, reminding myself to be prepared and ready for anything that happened today. After all, there were bad omens in the air.

* * *

 _Gaya Westbay, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

I quickly brushed off my dress and watched the lint float gently to the ground. I was wearing a boring plain black garment, but that was just how I liked it. No need to be so flashy all the time. There was such thing as too much attention after all.  
Seeing how neatly everyone put themselves together made me wonder if I brushed my hair enough. Oh well, nobody was noticing. I could go half an hour without perfect hair.

Sure enough, there was our trusty old escort Charlemagne Knight, who always had to have some medieval design incorporated into his clothes. He didn't waste any time dipping his hand into the first glass ball and grabbing one of the slips, ignoring the few that fluttered out.  
"Gaya Westbay!"

A knot formed in my stomach. _That's me._

The girls nearby left a clearing for me to walk through. Tears formed at the edge of my eyes, but I blinked them away. I didn't want the whole district to see me cry.  
Up on the stage, I stood a little off to the side. Charlemagne gave me a sympathetic smile, just to be nice. "Hello Gaya."  
"Hi..."  
"Do you have anything you'd like to say?"

I just shook my head. Charlemagne nodded, then drew a second name. "Basileon Fungo!"

There was a small commotion at the back, where a 13 year-old shoved past everybody else and into the aisle. His skin was brown, a rather uncommon shade for 11, where you're either Caucasian or not. He had short but curly black hair and was wearing some plain clothes, just like me. The entire time, he kept his head down.

When Charlemagne asked Basileon if he wanted to say anything, he just shrugged. Finally, the Reapings concluded with us shaking the other's hand.  
I followed the Peacekeepers inside, glancing at the crowd one last time. People were starting to drift off now, and I was able to locate my parents. As soon as I did, I wished I hadn't.

There was my mother, lying in my father's arms.

* * *

 _Basileon "Leo" Fungo, 13_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

It was bad enough to get my name pulled from that glass ball. Just to add to my rotten luck, I got picked alongside a girl who obviously had a way better chance than I did. She was tall and really lanky, with dark skin and small green eyes. I thought that her hair was black but upon closer inspection, turned out to be brown.

I was left alone in a small room, just sitting on an old couch. Through the window in the door, I could see some shadows moving and then a gruff voice say, "Fifteen minutes." The handle turned and my mother rushed into the room.

"Leo..." she whispered quietly, holding me close. Someone pressed up against my back. My uncle. For a while, I was squished between the two of them in a giant Fungo sandwich.  
Mom released me, but gripped my shoulder tightly. "Now listen to me. You are a Leo. This means you are kind, headstrong, and loyal. You have a good chance in there. Perhaps good omens will come your way..."

I didn't get to hear anything else. Mom broke down into a sobbing mess. Uncle Bam gently helped her up and escorted to the door. Once she was outside, he turned his attention to me.  
"Sorry we couldn't go to the lap today, kiddo."  
"It's alright."

"I'm gonna miss my hallucinating buddy. But you take care of yourself in there, alright?"  
"Okay."

My uncle smiled. "Now come give your old man a hug."  
I didn't hesitate. I wrapped my arms around him as far as they could go. Trying to hold on to this father figure of mine one last time.  
The hug lasted until a Peacekeeper knocked on the door and told me it was time to go. I released my uncle who just gave a pat on the the head, then left. As the Peacekeeper beckoned for me to come with him. I replayed my sign's traits in my head.

 _You are kind, headstrong, and loyal._

I didn't feel like it. I felt like I was going to die.

* * *

 **Wow, I haven't updated this in two weeks!? How time flies!**

 **Aside from my essay and projects, the past few days have turned me into an emotional wreck and I was losing motivation to do anything with my stories. I did want to update, since I sometimes use writing as a stress reliever, and I really wanted to get the Reapings out of the way.**

 **Anyways, here's the 11 pair. My apologies to the creators if they aren't exactly what you wanted, but they're both really interesting, so I hope I did them justice. Next up, we've got District 4!  
**


	13. District 4 Reaping

**Quick shout-out to my friend nicolejs, who got herself a Fanfiction account so she can stalk...I mean follow me!**

 **Also, if there's any confusion, Bravo was originally submitted to District 1, but I had already chosen my tribute for that spot and I needed a 4 male, so I moved him to this District instead. Hence why his name is a little out of place.**

* * *

 _Bravo Turner, 15_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

My family had just started washing the breakfast dishes when the doorbell rang. Nobody needed to look outside first. We all knew who it was.

"Hey dude!" Avor said as I opened the door and let him in. "What's on the agenda today?"  
"Lying around until I'm forced to get dressed."  
"Sounds fun." Avor quickly kicked off his shoes and followed me up to my room. We sat across from each other on my bed.

Lying back against my pillow, Avor sighed. "Man, it's Reaping time. You know, my cousins used to live across from Fjord Hemmings and his family...until he won the Games."  
"Cool."  
"Yeah. Poor kid. Remember how he was so nervous in District 1 that he almost threw up all over the mayor?"

I giggled. "If he did, I would've thrown up myself."  
"Ew, gross. Okay, funny story. So, my brother and his friends went out fishing yesterday. It was all going pretty swell, until this snobby rich dude comes walking by and starts acting like he's better than them. Then Hector takes this giant fish he just caught and-"

"Bravo!" Viola didn't even bother knocking as she ran into my room. "Mom wants you to get dressed. She says you just can't sit in your pajamas until it's time to leave. And wear something nice."  
"Of course, madam. Let me go get my tuxedo from the dry cleaners." Viola didn't hear me say that, though. I wouldn't care if she did or not.

"What's wrong with pajamas?" Avor asked. "There was a girl from 6 who wore them when she got Reaped. Remember her?"  
I nodded. "She was the one who got axed by accident."  
"Or...axeident..."

Avor chuckled and my palm hit my forehead. "That pun sucked."  
"I know."

* * *

 _Rowena Marius, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

"No, no, no! When the questions asks for proof, you give them proof! You just can't write that!"  
I just rolled my eyes. "So?"  
Lucy sighed. "Come on Rowena, this test is a really big one. I just wanna help you succeed."

It wasn't like I needed to succeed. I already had a job safely tucked under my belt. Working at District 4's Fish Market managing branch wasn't always fun, but I got to make a lot of money.  
"You should be smart, like me." I said in a teasing tone. "Then you wouldn't need to study."

Lucy tapped me playfully on the nose. "Well, Miss Smarty-Pants, it's not gonna stay that way much longer if you flunk that test. Now, erase your answer and write something much more acceptable."  
I leaned forward and kissed Lucy on her cheek, leaving some of my lip gloss behind. "Was that acceptable enough?"

"Hmmm, no...where's the proof?"  
"The proof...is right here."

I didn't even have to meet Lucy's beautiful blue eyes to know what she wanted. I just pinned her against the back of her chair. She gave me a flirty smile, similar to the expressions she had when she made the first move, 2 years ago...

"Um...am I interrupting something?"

We both looked up. Relic, my younger brother, was standing across the table from us, confused. "I thought you guys were studying."  
Lucy quickly pushed me off her. "Well, now we are. Come on Rowena, time to take this seriously."

* * *

 _Bravo Turner, 15_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

Avor pointed out the snobby man when we were waiting to get ourselves registered. Despite being all cleaned up from that incident with Hector, he still seemed mad about something. Not like I'd ever care about seeing that man again, but I could always use the fish against him.

Even though nobody from 4 was ever actually excited about the Reaping, everybody wanted to catch a glimpse of Fjord Hemmings. Ever since the Victory Tour, he had been laying low and staying out of the spotlight. Of course, Reaping attendance was mandatory for everybody.

Avor and I finally got checked in, then found the 15 year-old section. There were a couple of boys I knew, but never really talked to. I liked keeping to myself.  
As the Reapings proceeded, everybody was waiting impatiently for the good part. Finally, our mayor introduced a shaky Fjord to the audience. Several people screamed with joy.

The excitement still lingered in the air when the first name was called. The escort, a fifty-something man named Oscar, held up the slip and moved towards the microphone. "Rowena Marius."  
I looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rowena. There was a faint thud, following by the shrieks of a few girls in front of me. The Peacekeepers barged into the crowd and emerged carrying an unconscious 16 year-old girl.

I couldn't see much of Rowena, other than her face, which was mostly covered by her wavy brown hair. Oscar winced, which was picked up by the microphone. He quickly composed himself and drew a second slip. "Bravo Turner."

 _Bravo Turner._

That was me.

* * *

 _Rowena Marius, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

I awoke on some sort of couch in a small room. There was only one window, but the blinds had been drawn. A sense of fear hung in the air.  
Why did they have to choose me? I obeyed the law. I was a hard-working citizen. I never once went against the Peacekeepers. This kind of fate belonged to some rebel scum, not an intelligent, helpful, member of society like me.

Above my head were four distressed faces. My mother bent down and kissed me on the forehead. "Oh honey. Thank goodness you're okay."  
"It's...no!" I spluttered. "I'm not going into the Games!"  
"What do you mean?" Dad asked.  
"I just...it's so horrible! All the bloodshed and death and kids killing each other, it's just...ugh!"

Relic and Harrietta exchanged glances. Mom helped me sit up. "Well, we don't have the power to change things. But the least you can do is make the best of this situation."  
"You mean die."  
"You still have a chance."

Dad began to herd my siblings outside. "We believe in you, Rowena. Just don't give up."  
For a few minutes, I was left alone, ready to faint again. Then there was a knock at the door. "May I come in?"

"Sure..." I muttered.  
Lucy walked in gracefully, before sitting down next to me and placing an arm around my shoulder. "How are you doing?"  
"Horrible."

"Yeah, yeah. But you're strong...and smart. You've got the looks to get any guy to melt at your feet!"  
I perked up. "So?"  
"So, you can win this!" Lucy gave me a kiss on the cheek. "You can win this and come home...come home to me."

I hoped she didn't notice me blushing. "Alright. I'll win and come home to you."

* * *

 **So that was District 4! I know that I didn't get a chance to describe what Barvo looks like, but all you need to know is that he's Vietnamese-Caucasian with curly brown hair and he and Rowena are pretty much the same height.**

 **I hope you guys like this pair and I'll be back with the District 7 Reapings!**


	14. District 7 Reaping

**Here we are with another Reaping! Oh, I can't wait to introduce everyone and get these over with!**

 **Personally, I'm really excited for the 7 pair myself. I hope you guys are as well.**

* * *

Kyliana Carter, 15  
District 7 Female Tribute

* * *

"Hey look!" Lily chuckled, pointing over my shoulder. "If it isn't the heartbreaker himself!"  
I blushed slightly. Even though I had gotten over him a long time ago, Mitch Highland was still looker. It had all been a stupid mistake though, a bunch of drunk teenagers who didn't have their heads screwed on properly. I didn't even glance over at him.

Marta elbowed me. "Ooh...somebody still has a crush on him!"  
I laughed uncomfortably. "I...do not! Where on Earth did you get that stupid idea-"

Luckily, we were all interrupted by a Peacekeeper before the conversation could get any more embarrassing. "Excuse me, ladies. Do you know a Kyliana Carter?"  
I raised my hand. "That's me."  
"Here," The Peacekeeper handed me a sheet of paper. "Do not abuse this. We'll see you later."

"What's that?" Rosalia asked.  
"It's my signer's permit." I read the permit over quickly. "It means that because I act as a signer for Mariana, I'm allowed to stand with her during the Reapings instead of the 15 year-olds."

"You still haven't taught us to how to sign curse words." Lily folded her arms.  
I just shrugged. Questions like this always came up whenever the subject turned to my work with Mariana. My friends joked that soon, she would replace them. I often had to assure them that would never ever happen. But then again, I wasn't too into this style of joking.

A few more jokes were cracked, mainly about getting Reaped and what would happen if I went into the Games with Mitch. Then the conversation soon switched to boys. That was my clue to leave.  
"I'm going home," I announced. "My parents should probably know about the permit."

Rosalia gave me a wave, but nobody else noticed. I made my way down the street, past the lumberjacks out for morning strolls, the shopkeepers waiting patiently for sales, and the panicked 12 year-olds, worried that in a few hours, their days were numbered.

* * *

 _Everleigh McArvin, 16_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Done!" I triumphantly slammed down my pencil and leaned back in my chair. "My math notes are ready to go!"

Dad poked his head in from the hallway, where he and Taline were carrying laundry upstairs. "Are those the notes that have been missing?"  
"Yeah, but I redid them. It was stupid of me to lose them last time, but I'm not ever getting rid of these."  
"That's good." Taline reached in and pulled me towards her room. "Come on, sis. Mom found a dress that we think would look really good on you."

I perked up. A new dress would be awesome. I didn't mind Taline's hand-me-downs, since they were usually pretty clean, but having my own clothes was even better.  
The dress was a beautiful thing. It was a dark purple, with a simple paisley pattern. Glancing at it carefully told me that it would probably reach just past my knees. A white sash traveled around the waist.

"The lady at the store called it one of a kind. What do you think?"  
"It's beautiful...I don't deserve such a thing..."  
"What are you talking about? It's yours!"

"Really? Thanks." I gave my sister a hug. She left the room so I could change in privacy. The dress was a big bigger than I was expecting, but still a pretty good fit.

My family had always been so accepting and I never knew why I was so lucky to be blessed with them. They let me be myself. They made sure I attended my monthly visits with the district doctor, so I kept healthy. There were my friends too, who had similar struggles, but overcame them and were now helping me do the very same thing.

I occasionally felt like I didn't deserve the kindness of these people, but I had no clue where I would be without them.

* * *

 _Kyliana Carter, 15_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

Mariana excitedly waved me over. We were standing on the edge of the 13 year-old pen. I ignored the confused stares I got and began signing.  
 _You ready, Mari?_

Mariana's fingers flew quickly. _What happens if I get picked?_  
 _The chances of that are very, very, slim. But if you do, I'm sure everyone here will do what they can to support you._

The mayor's speech was going on now. The escort, a dark-skinned woman named Allegro, took the stage. She waved happily, but seemed a bit miffed when nobody returned the enthusiasm.  
Mariana nudged me. _What's happening?_  
 _They're choosing the male tribute first._

"Russel McArvin!"

Shouts of confusion emerged from the crowd of 16 year-olds, before someone began to scream. The Peacekeepers sprung to action as the tribute attempted to run away. What surprised me was that with the shoulder-length curls and the purple dress, he or she didn't look like a boy at all.

Finally, the Peacekeepers dumped the tribute on the stage, next to Allegro. She smiled sadly. "Sorry about that, Rus-"  
"I-it's Everleigh..." the tribute whispered. She just stood there, head down.

 _They're picking the girls now,_ I signed to Mariana. She latched tightly onto my arm. I just gave her a small pat on the shoulder.

"Kyliana Carter!"

Tears instantly blurred my vision. I yanked myself free from Mariana's grasp, before taking shaky steps past the crowd. Whispers and murmurs could be heard, considering I was way too tall to pass for a little 13 year-old.

Even Allegro was confused. "Umm...happy Hunger Games everybody!"

* * *

 _Everleigh McArvin, 16_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

It felt like a dream and a nightmare at the same time. Getting Reaped was never something I worried too hard about, because it seemed all too unlikely. Now...it was all too real. Hearing my dead-name, desperately attempting to escape my fate.

Now, I was trapped inside a dusty little room. The door had been locked, so I wouldn't try to run away a second time. After hearing some muffled voices and the fiddling of a key, my friends poked their heads in.  
"Everleigh?" Vivian asked quietly. "Are you...okay?"

I dropped my head into my hands. Vivian was quick to sit down beside me, followed by Raven.  
"Come on girl," Raven said as he gave me a pat on the back. "We believe in you. You've got to show Panem what people like you and me are all about."  
Vivian nodded. "Yeah. you're making history! You're the first ever transgender tribute!"

I shrugged. My friends were trying to cheer me up, but it didn't make me feel better. "Thanks guys. I'll miss you too."  
My family was next to come in. Mom and Dad took Raven and Vivian's spots, while Taline sat on the floor in front of me.

"I'm going to die."  
"No you won't, honey." Dad responded. "Everybody has a chance."  
"Did you see that girl? She was so much taller."

"She was all sunburned too," Taline muttered, but I didn't pay the comment much attention.  
"Yes, but you have support." Mom spoke in a gentle voice. "There will be people in the Capitol who connect with you. Who will cheer for you. They'll want you to win."

"I guess..."  
Taline stood up. "Just remember, we'll be with you every step of the way." She wrapped her arms around me tightly. I didn't push away.

* * *

 **That was District 7! These tributes were hard to write in some pales, but I hope you guys like them.**

 **One headcanon I have for non-binary tributes is that they are Reaped as their biological gender, regardless of what they identify as. Because Everleigh was born a biological male (even though she currently identifies as female and uses she/her pronouns), she was eligible to be Reaped as the male tribute. Panem might be more diverse and accepting in the future, but in early stages, they probably didn't consider the possibility of non-cis tributes.**

 **Hopefully, the explanation clears things up. We'll be heading to District 3 next!**


	15. District 3 Reaping

**We've just hit a milestone! Our Last Summer has already reached over 100 reviews! Yaaaaaaaay! Thanks guys!**

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

Hespia's pencil began dancing around and around on the paper, creating vivid imagery as it went. She held up the finished dress design for me to see. It was sleeveless, with brilliant shades of red and hues of purple swirling around the fabric. "Well?"

"It's nice. Like light and dark merging together."  
That got a smile from Hespia. "Thanks bro. It would look really awesome in real life. What should we design next?"

I leaned in a bit closer. "What was that?"  
"I said, 'What should we design next?'" Hespia said a little louder, so I could hear better. "You should really get a hearing aid or something."  
"Oh." I shrugged. "Maybe black and white." My hands traced a checkerboard pattern into the air. "Or black and...whatever. Black goes good with anything..." I gave it some thought.

"That's not a bad suggestion. Maybe pink or yellow? Nah, too bright. How about a deep blue?" Hespia flipped her paper over and started doodling on the back of it. "Those two would look good together." She got to work and I just watched, waiting patiently until the finished design was held up for my approval.

"Looks good."  
"Thank you. Now that Mom got me a sewing machine, I can make this a real thing! That would be awesome! I'd wear a dress like this in a heartbeat!"  
"Can I try?"

"Sure." Hespia passed me a sheet of paper. I picked up a pencil from my dresser, wiped the brown curls out of my eyes, and began to sketch. I wasn't as good as drawing dresses as my sister, but once I had a shape down, I reached for my boxes of paint and brushes. Gradually, the colours on the dress began to show up and I deepened my concentration, not wanting to stop until I had finally finished my sketch.

Hespia gave the paper a glance. "Oh. Wow. That's beautiful Mark."  
"Hmm?"  
"I said that it was beautiful."

I grinned. "Oh. Thanks."

* * *

 _Axis LeBouvier, 17_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Another year, another Reaping," Ambrosia groaned. "Nothing really happens, but they're so suspenseful and we have yet to get a Victor...argggh."  
"Don't count the technology district out just yet," Dad responded. "This place always has great potential inside and outside the Hunger Games."  
"You mean like Valkner Stross? He was a 3 tribute that actually got kills."

Dad shrugged. "Not really what I meant."  
I let out a giggle. Mom just rolled her eyes and plunked down some freshly made rolls on the table. They had been sprinkled with bits of dried seaweed and edible glitter, but were the size of the normal 3 rolls. Three districts mixed into one.  
Just like my family.

Tsunami and I reached for a roll at the same time, but I got to it first and pulled it out of her reach. She just stuck her tongue out at me.  
"Hey Dad," I muttered while stuffing the role into my face. "Which district do you want to win this year?"  
"Well, obviously Three. But if not...One always has a good chance. I'd like to see Foxy Champagne get a new friend."

Mom playfully whacked him on the shoulder. "Um, excuse me! If Four did it last year, they can do it again!" She turned to us. "You know, when I was a young girl in Four, the neighbour's kids and I used to have competitions to see who could go and grab the most seaweed before a big wave came and took you down. We'd all come home with weeds in our hands and sand in our hair."

"Sounds fun," I laughed. "Aside from the sandy hair part."  
"Well we didn't care, we were kids. Anyways, all of you, go upstairs and get dressed."

Once upstairs, I headed into the bathroom. Brushing my hair back, I pulled it into a ponytail. Then, I studied my reflection.  
From a young age, my parents had always assured me that I was beautiful they way I was. Of course. As the child of a researcher from One and a native of Four, that wouldn't be too surprising. Those districts were known for their classically beautiful citizens. Maybe that was why it was so hard to fit in sometimes.

I chose a nice T-shirt from my closet and a pair of black leggings. Quickly, I slipped into the leggings and yanked the shirt over my head. Then, I hurried down the stairs and waited patiently for my family, so we could all head out together.

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

It must've been really noisy in front of the Justice Building, where all the rowdy and anxious teenagers were waiting. The noises didn't really bother me, though. I could barely hear anything that was being said.  
Once we arrived Mom, Dad, and Tyla decided to wait on the edges, while Hespia and I went to sign in. Afterwards, I found the crowd of 15 year-olds and merged in.

I could see a few of my friends in various spots in the crowd. There was Colette...and Sasha...I couldn't spot Harlan though, but I could always go looking for him when the Reapings were over.  
Gradually the noise died down in time for the Reapigns to begin. First there was the mayor's speech, then the video, and the introduction of the escort. Finally, Casablanca dug his hand into the first ball and pulled out a slip.

"Axis LeBouvier!"

At first, nothing happened. After a few seconds of silence, a tall girl weaved her through out into the open. She had Asian roots, pale skin, light hair, and a confidence aura to the way she walked. She tripped a bit coming up to stand beside the escort, but recovered quickly. I could tell she seemed a bit nervous.

Casablanca held up a second slip. He said something that I couldn't register and the boys around me started looking at one another.  
"Ahem...Mark Giblet! Is there a Mark Giblet here?"

My face burned. Me.  
As I pushed through the sea of 15 year-olds, I could feel everyone staring me down. A few tears sprung to my eyes and I quickly wiped them away. Casablanca said something else into the microphone, but I didn't hear what it was. Nor did I care. I just didn't want everyone to stare at me anymore. Augh, I hated being the centre of attention.

 _Calm down,_ I thought to myself. _It's almost over._

After what felt like an eternity of shaking hands and listening to the Anthem, I was finally taken inside. Never before had I been so relieved to escape such a crowd.

* * *

 _Axis LeBouvier, 17_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

Cypheria was my first visitor. She bounded into the room and tackled me in a giant hug, pinning my arms to my sides.

"I feel so sorry for you, Axis. You don't deserve to get Reaped. You're way too awesome for this."  
"Thanks...and you're a good friend too."  
"Anyways, break a leg." Cypheria let go. "I'll be rooting for you!"

Once my best friend left, my family headed in. They all seemed as happy with the situation as I was.  
Tsunami and Ambrosia quickly sat down on the couch. I squeezed my way in between the two of them; the couch sagged a bit under the weight of all three of us.

"Honey, I'm sure you can do just fine," Dad said softly. "Don't worry about anything...just remember we'll be supporting you every single step of the way."  
"T-thanks." I wasn't really sure what to say. Nothing witty or confident was coming to my brain right now. I felt upset, and that was it.

"Are you scared?" Tsunami asked, poking me in the shoulder.  
"Me? No way! I've been waiting for this my whole life!" My voice cracked a little and I just sighed. "Actually...I don't want to go. I'm terrified."  
"Same," Ambrosia muttered quietly.

Mom gently reached towards my face. She picked up a loose strand of hair and gently tucked it behind my ear. "We love you very much, Axis. Family is important. Remember that."  
I gave her a small smile. "I know. And I love you guys too."

* * *

 **That was Mark and Axis! I hope I did a good job portraying them!**

 **After this, we only have two more Reapings to go. Which is good because I hate writing Reapings. I'm so glad to have gotten most of them out of the way.**

 **See you all in District 9!**


	16. District 9 Reaping

**Here we are in District 9, with only one more Reaping to go afterwards! My plan is to try and get that chapter out by the end of this month. That way, we go into May ready to move on from doing so many Reapings.  
**

* * *

 _Nicolyn Vargas, 16_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Come on, just a little further," Mary said, pointing up the street. "You can handle it."  
'Ugh...it hurts so bad! Those stupid pricks."

Amelia just shook her head. "Well, why would you challenge them like that? You know that they were trying to push your buttons and get you all riled up. Now look what happened!"  
"Humph."

Once my house was in sight, Mary and Amelia let me go. I grudgingly pushed myself up to the porch and towards the door. I knew I was in pretty bad shape. Some bruises here, scratches there, knuckles swollen from punching so many faces in...  
"Nicolyn! What on Earth happened to you!?"

"Nothing."  
"Are you fighting with street gangs again? Honey, you know how your father and I feel about this."  
"So?" I shoved past my mother and into the house. "Bruises happen soemtimes. Get used to it."

"What's this about fighting?" My father must've heard us from the living room. "Nicolyn Vargas, what have we told you about-"  
"Why do you guys care!? I'm a teenager!" My voice was getting louder by the minute. "Let me do what I want!"

"So, you don't care." Mom sighed. "You don't care that we're worried for the safety of our child and just want to make sure that she's okay."  
"I don't need you looking out for me!" I yelled, shoving past my mother and running up the stairs. "I don't need you making a big fuss about it! Leave me alone!"

Once upstairs, I dove into my room and slammed the door shut. I didn't care if my parents were discussing what to do with me. I didn't care if Kaylin was outside my room, asking if I was okay. I was mad. And I just wanted to be mad. I wanted to lay here and think angry thoughts until I was finally calm and willing to at least check out the damage in the mirror.

Most of the bruises I received could be covered up; they'd be gone by tomorrow anyways. There was a bump on my head, but I just parted my bangs until it was no longer visible. I then splashed some water on my face, hoping to get rid of whatever dirt and blood. There, now I looked presentable.

 _Maybe I should apologize to my parents..._ I thought to myself. _They were just worried for my safety after all. And that was a bit of an overreaction. Then I'll go hang out with Mary and Amelia until Reaping time._

"Hey...Mom? Dad?"

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Scooore! And the crowd goes wild!"

"Nice one, Virgil!" Tanner picked up the sack and gave me a high-five. "Now let's go cream these guys!"  
Barley laughed. "I have to admit, I'm surprised. I thought Virgil would be too worried about getting his shoes dirty!"

"I'll get you for that one!" I shook my fist at Barley playfully and kicked the sack into the air. Brett, one of the boys of my team, was able to catch it and toss it to Jeremiah, who tossed it back Tanner. My best friend then threw it at the barn wall, marking another point for our team.

"Nice one, buddy!" Ravenna yelled from the sidelines. "You actually made a decent play for once!"  
Tanner blew her a kiss. "Only the best for you."

We all laughed. The game went on for another half an hour, before Barley started rounding up everyone. They were all town kids, which meant that unlike me, they could only afford to eat beans instead of signpost around a sack filled with them. Not that it bothered anyone. We were all good sports in the end. Besides, I needed somebody to show off all my tricks to.

I turned my attention to Ravenna and Tanner. "What do you guys wanna do now?"  
Tanner shrugged. "I gotta head home soon. My parents probably have lunch going."  
"My little brother's really worried, now that he's eligible for the Reapings," Ravenna muttered. "I told he has a better chance of getting stomped on by a cow and now he's afraid of those."

"Nobody rich gets Reaped anyways," I pointed out. "It's always the poor ones or the rebels."  
"Yeah, because they take out all that tessarae." Tanner made a face. "What does that even taste like?"

"Heck if I know." I tossed the sack in the air, then caught it on its way down. "You guys up for another game later today?"  
Ravenna smiled. "Of course. Maybe I'll play this time. But I'm with the townies. Somebody has to help them take you down."

Tanner and I giggled at the idea of me loosing. "In your dreams."

* * *

 _Nicolyn Vargas, 16_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

I made sure to avoid any gang members on my way to the Justice Building. Most of my bruises had been easily covered up by my shirt sleeves, making them a little less noticeable. Once Kaylin and I signed in, I quickly met up with Mary. Because Amelia had yet to turn 16, she was standing in the section behind us.

The one thing that made our escort stand out so much was her deep purple hair. Personally, I wasn't too big on it. What would she really gain from us staring at her hair? Unless she actually wanted us to stare...

"Virgil Gallo?"

There was silence surrounding the name. The Peacekeepers began to move out in the section up front as a boy's voice called out, "Me!?" The crowd then parted to reveal a tall boy with dark hair and eyes. The sleeves on his shirt had been cut clean off, revealing his broad shoulders and muscular arms.

 _Someone's obviously from the richer part of 9,_ I thought as he moved towards the stage and awkwardly stood there. _And obviously very showy._

"Nicolyn Vargas!"  
 _What!?_

No, this couldn't be happened. I HATED the idea of going into the Games. They were just the Capitol's gory way of keeping us districts chained up under their authority. And I hated authority.  
But still, I was expected to go up there. So, I decided to make a show out of it. Smiling confidently, swinging my arms a little as I went. Masking the fear and putting on a proud look, like I was perfectly fine with this.

Everybody seemed confused to see me. Good. I don't need to care what they think of me anyways.

"Shake hands," the escort trilled. Virgil and I did so. Once I let go, a Peacekeeper grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me inside.  
"Hey!" I tried to squirm from his grasp. "Leave me alone-"  
I was pulled down the hallway and into a dusty little room. "Wait here," the Peacekeeper ordered, before closing the door in front of me.

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

This wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to sit through the whole Reaping, go home, and fool around with my friends. Not to sit here, on an old couch that smelled of mothballs. We had a much comfier one back home.

Dad was my first visitor. Outside, I heard Mom arguing, probably with a Peacekeeper. She came in a minute later, tear stains running down her face. I felt bad at seeing her so upset. Mom was always stronger like this.  
"I've tried everything," she sighed. "They say that there's nothing you can do. You're a tribute now, and there's no way out of it."

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder. "Now, now. I've raised this boy to the best of my abilities...with your help, obviously. And we're going to make sure he comes home alive."  
I shrugged lazily. This wasn't like a game of ball or showing off tricks to the townies. This time, I wasn't at the top, where I liked to be. "What now?"

"What now?" Dad's voice went up a bit. "Well, you're gonna win! You've inherited your mother's wit, and my dashing looks. Plus, we have the mayor on our side. Perhaps she can convince higher-ups in the Capitol to do some tweaking...and bring you back."

There was a knock at the door. "Time's up."

When my parents left, Tanner and Ravenna strode in. Tanner held his hand up. I high-fived him, but didn't feel in the mood to do so.  
"Well, this sucks," Ravenna groaned. I had to smile. "Yeah, yeah it does."

"But you're a cool kid," Tanner spoke up. "Just do what you do best."  
"Kicking butt?"  
"Kicking butt."

I was feeling much better. "Alright, I'm going into whatever arena and showing everyone what Virgil Gallo is made of. But you guys should start a fanclub. I'm not doing anything if nobody's gonna be cheering me on."

"We will," Tanner replied. "We will."

* * *

 **When you've written about half of a chapter but your computer decides to shut down with you getting a chance to save anything and loses all your progress...**

 **Oh my goodness, I can't wait to get the Reapings done with! And we're almost at the end!**

 **I hope you guys like this pair!They're pretty different from one another, which is cool. And after this we'll be in District 1! So stay tuned!  
**


	17. District 1 Reaping

**Last Reaping chapter! Woo-hoo!**

 **One another note, we're less than 100 reviews away from surpassing Rebellious Fate's review count, which is awesome! Thank you all so much for all the support!  
**

* * *

 _Leonidas Argyris, 18_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

Breakfast was pretty quiet in the Drozdov household. Everyone was too focused on the meal to bring up any conversation. Personally, I didn't mind.

Beside me, Theseus trembled. "Some boys in my class said I was gonna get Reaped today because of how stupid I am. Leonidas, is that true?"  
"What? Who told you that?"  
"C-castor's cousin."

Nikolai, my best of friends, sighed. "Ugh, that guy is just all mouth and no trousers. You know, I heard him get dared by his friends to volunteer!"

Nikolai's mother sighed. "Hun, keep in mind that sometimes, boys will say things to attract attention. You can't believe every word that comes out of his mouth, especially when he has a history of making stuff up."  
"Exactly." I patted Theseus on the head. "Which is why I know for a fact that you're not getting Reaped."

Theseus gave me a smile; the kind I lived for. The kind that told me after all we had been through as brothers, he still retained some of his childish innocence. Such a sweet boy didn't deserve the hell his classmates put him through...because he was different. I knew a lot about being different.

After breakfast, I offered to help Nikolai's parents wash the dishes. It was my house anyways; they had been really kind to take Theseus and I in after we lost our mother.  
"Thank you for your help, Leonidas," Mr. Drozdov said once everything was put away. "Why don't you go get dressed? You've got a wrestling match today, right?"

"Not really. They gave us the day off."  
"Well, isn't that nice."

Upstairs, I put on some nice clothes and splashed a bit of water on my face, the cold droplets landing on my skin enough to wake me up. Nikolai watched from the doorway to the bathroom with interest. "Well, someone looks all fancy shmancy."  
"Come on, dude. You know I've got a girlfriend to impress."

"She'd probably like you better with those tight clothes off. You look like you're Castor, presenting yourself to the whole District!"

The whole District...Castor bragging about volunteering...how much I hated his guts...

"Well, maybe I am." I said suddenly.  
"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm planning to volunteer."

* * *

 _Desdemona Montague, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

I gently leaned backwards onto my bed, careful to not get any wrinkles in my dress. Maybe I could continue that dream I had, the one about a beautiful island all to myself. Untouched by mankind. Sand lying everywhere, waves playfully jumping from the sea onto the shores, cracking open a coconut, then discovering what coconut tasted like.

Did they have places like this anywhere? Maybe in District 4? I bet if I convinced my parents, Mom and Dad would take me to find out. Once 4 was in a more stable condition, of course. My parents told me that the world had descended into madness, with no peace in sight. But if would have to get better someday.

Everything always has to get better...

Flipping onto my side, I let my arm dangle off the bed and stared forward. I was looking at a wall, covered in magazine pictures. Pictures of beautiful and inspiring women, like Theodora Snow, Genevieve Virce, or Arley Dawson and Paisley Lomota, something Mom called Victors. She told me they were really strong and I just had to add them to the collage. I liked how cute Paisley appeared when she cocked her head to the side like that, or the way Arley's brown waves looked complementing her skin...

"Desdemona!" My mother's voice snapped me from my dreams. "We're leaving soon!"  
I stood up quickly, smoothing out my dress. "Coming, mother!"

Downstairs, my parents were already waiting for me. Mom ran her fingers through my hair, getting rid of any visible frizzes or small tangles. "Remember, you are to come straight to us afterwards. No tomfoolery or stopping to talk to boys. You don't know who's a Loyalist and who's a rebel. Got that?"

"Yep! I got that."  
Mom smiled. "Good. Let's go."

Reaping Day was a special day to us. After all, is was only right we paid a proper sacrifice to the Capitol, especially after so much of their soldiers had been lost in the war. I thought about this as I followed my parents to the Justice Building. Everybody was talking to one another, making it very easy for me to slip into the crowd and wait patiently.

* * *

 _Leonidas Argyris, 18_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

"I still think this crazy," Joanna muttered as we waited for the Reaping to start. "Why not just let Castor have a taste of his own medicine?"  
I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Baby, you know he'd make our district look like complete and utter fools in the Games. And if I win, I'll be able to take good care of Theseus. Give him the life he deserves."

"That's sweet of you, honey..." Joanna gave me a small smile, but I could tell she wasn't entirely on board. I gave her a kiss on the cheek, right as the mayor appeared.  
The entire time, I was on pins and needles. The mayor's speech slowly ticked by, followed by the video and the introduction of Foxy Champagne. He waved politely, but his distracted look told everyone he wasn't completely in the present. He was probably thinking about something else.

A blue-haired man by the name of Benjamin Fallis finally marked the beginning of the exciting part when he dipped his hand into a glass ball, then gently lifted a slip from inside. "Desdemona Montauge."

Nothing happened at first. Then, a pale girl with blonde hair and freckles slowly stumbled out from the wave of 17 year-olds and up to the stage. She tripped over one of the steps on the way up the stage, prompting a Peacekeeper to hold her steady. She seemed to be staring in a random direction, as if in a trance.

"Poor thing," Joanna sighed. I just nodded.

Benjamin was already calling a second name. "Jaye Walker!"  
My hand shot up in the air. But before I could make a single sound...

"I VOLUNTEER!"

 _No!_ I shoved several boys out of my way and ran as fast as I could for the stage. Castor was right in front of me, attempting to claim the spot before I could. I just dove and grabbed his ankles, yanking him back. Castor just squirmed and I brought my foot down on the back of his leg. Hard.

"AUGH!"  
The crowd gasped.

As Castor wiggled around and screamed in pain, I just calmly climbed up the steps and grinned. "I volunteer."

* * *

 _Desdemona Montauge, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

 _What was happening?_

There was a boy standing beside me and he had just broken someone's leg. On top of that, he easily towered over me. He could've snapped my neck if he wanted to.  
As then Anthem began to blast through hidden loudspeakers, a pair of Peacekeepers grabbed me by the shoulders and started marching me off.

"H-hey! Where are we going?"  
"Inside." The Peacekeeper's gruff tone told me that was the end of our conservation as he and his partner brought me to a little room. Once I was shoved inside, they slammed the door in my face.

Unsure of what to do, I glanced out the window behind me. People were walking by, but nobody was looking in my direction.  
"Desdemona! Oh honey..."

Mom threw her arms around me. "I can't believe this is...oh, we might..."  
"What's wrong Mom? You said it was the duty of the districts to repay the Capitol through the Games."  
My parents glanced at each other, before Mom cleared her throat. "Well...in a way, that's right. But keep in mind that there might be some...scummy people in the arena."

"What does that mean?"  
"Rebels," Dad replied. "Criminals. Traitors. Backstabbers. The kind of people you can't trust. You need to be very careful. Got that?"  
"Yes." I gave my parents a last hug. "I love you guys."

"We love you too, dear. Stay safe."

I was left alone soon afterwards. Staring back out the window, I began to wonder. I had never been to the Capitol before. I had no clue what it looked like. But now, I'd get to see it for myself. And maybe...after the Games were over, I could see what the other districts looked like!

Perhaps the Hunger Games weren't so bad after all...

* * *

 **And we're done! I am so glad to finish the Reapings and move onto the next part of the Games. I hope Leonidas and Desdemona's submitters like what I've done with this pair and you guys do as well. Also, Foxy's back!**

 **And now...time for a check-in! I'll be doing check-ins every once in a while, just to see who's participating in the story and who isn't. I'm going to be a bit more lax on reviews, so I understand if you can't review every single chapter, even if you are answering check-ins. I want the Victor of these Games go to someone who's showed at least a little bit of interest in the story and just hasn't disappeared from the start.**

 **This chapter's check-in question is:**

 **What is your tribute's sexuality and romantic orientation? Please answer via PM.**

 **That aside, I'll see you all when I uploaded the first set of Train Rides!**


	18. Train Rides 1

**I still need check-ins for the following tributes:**

 **Challis Scorn**  
 **Zeke Beckett**  
 **Seine Hopper**  
 **Everleigh McArvin**  
 **Christopher Belmont**  
 **Paisley Weftin**  
 **Nicolyn Vargas**  
 **Shana Trine**  
 **Gaya Westbay**  
 **Josie Doyle**

 **Please refer to Chapter 17 for the check-in question. Answers to be submitted via PM. Thank you.**

 **Here we are with first batch of train rides! These have been broken up into 2 chapters, just to make things a bit easier for me. Don't worry if your tribute didn't get a POV for the Train Rides, since they'll end up getting one for training.**

* * *

 _Victoria Mason, 17_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

Once the train started moving, it gradually began to pick up speed. Everything whizzed by, from the people watching us on the station platform, to the quarry miens in the distance. Along we went, leaving District 2 far behind.

Claymore hadn't said a word. He just sat on one of the couches, more focused on the Reaping recaps than either of his tributes. Jasmine made a few attempts to look me in the eye or smile, but she could sense the tension and kept quiet.

After a while, I reached out and elbowed Claymore. "Hey. You gonna talk to us or what?"  
"Not until you two realize the mistake you've made."

Challis shrugged. "Welp, there you go. He talked."  
"Shut up. What do you mean by mistake?"

Claymore straightened up. "I mean by volunteering. You chums obviously have no idea what you're getting into. There's a lot more to the Games than the name...it's dangerous."  
"So...so what?" I folded my arms. "I'm trained. I can use a javelin better than anybody else in that stupid Academy. And I'm gonna win."  
"Same," Challis added. "Except, well...you know...I'm gonna win! And I'll make everybody in the Capitol happy." He gave me a big grin.

"Kids these days..." Claymore muttered under his breath. He got up and stomped past me, not bothering to make any eye contact.  
"You have made a very stupid decision. Both of you. Ignore me now, but you'll realize I'm right. Eventually. And when you do, don't come crying to me because you threw your entire future away over...what? A crown? A title? An endless supply of riches that means nothing in the long run? Not to mention the physical scars, the mental ones...if you're lucky."

With that, Claymore slipped into the nearest bedroom and slammed the door in our faces. Jasmine kept her head down and Challis looked confused. As for me, I was upset. Our mentor didn't want to talk to us? Fine. I don't need a stinking mentor. I've got a game to win.

* * *

 _Nestor Barde, 14_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

WHAM!

"Honey, please stop punching the wall. You're gonna make a dent!"  
I glared at Jubilee, with all her ugly pink locks and infuriating sense of superiority. She was the one who chose my name and got me into this whole mess in the first place! I didn't need to listen to her!

I gave the wall one last punch for good measure and smirked at the fist-shaped dent. Jubilee just sighed. "Are you done now?"  
"Fine."  
"Alright. Let's talk strategy. They're probably showing the Reaping reruns right now. Do you wanna go look at the competition, in case anyone catches your eye?"

That sounded boring. "No."  
"How about you look for allies?"  
I made a face. "I don't want allies."

"Are you sure about that?" Jubilee pressed. "Even one person you trust wouldn't be a bad thing to have, you know?"  
"I said I don't want allies!" _Ugh, why was this woman so annoying? I ought to punch her pretty face in. And can we please close the blinds? All this light is blinding me..._

"But, just hear me out-"  
"How about you hear me out!? I stand by what I said, and I don't need you breathing down my neck! Allies are useless; why would I wanna waste time trying to befriend a bunch of idiots when I could just beat them up and move on!?"

Jubilee seemed surprised. Almost scared. She jumped quickly and slipped out of the room. Good.  
Without much else to do, I just folded my arms and stared at the wall. How much longer could it withstand my fist? Maybe if I punched hard enough, I could bring the whole thing down. That would show them. That would show them all. Nobody would mess with me ever again.

* * *

 _Axis LeBouvier, 17_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

Casablanca passed a weird device thingy over to Mark. "Here. See if it helps."  
I scooted over on the couch as Mark stuck the device into his right ear and begin to fiddle with it. A small high-pitched sound could be heard. I winced slightly, but Mark made no reaction. It was almost as if he couldn't hear the sound at all.

Once Mark appeared to be satisfied with the device, he relaxed. I just watched, wondering how to start up a conversation. After going through some possible ice-breakers, I just decided to go with a simple, "Hey."  
"Hmm? Did you say something?"

"Um...yeah. I said hey."  
"Oh, I didn't notice..." Mark fiddled with one of the trow pillows, tracing his finger along the stripes. he stared at the pattern with an intense look, as if he was studying it.  
"It's okay." I raised my voice a little bit. "But hey. I'm Axis. I'm your district partner...I guess. Yay!"  
That got a small smile out of Mark. "Yep...we're stuck in this together." He still seemed preoccupied with the pillow.

"So, what do you like to do?" I asked.  
Mark said nothing, then shrugged. "I like fashion."  
"Really? That's pretty cool! You have to show me your work sometime."

"Thanks," Mark replied quietly. "So...what do you like to do?"  
"I don't know. I like spending time with my family. My siblings are a great bunch. Ambrosia's fifteen too."  
"That's cool."

I had to admit, I liked making small talk with Mark. He was a quiet kid, but he seemed friendly enough. Pretty open too. Like he'd accept me no matter what. It was hard to come across people like that, especially when there were so many reasons I'd never fit in.

* * *

 _Christopher "Kit" Belmont, 12_  
 _District Male Tribute_

* * *

"So, how do you wanna do this?" Sliver asked. "Do you guys want to be mentored together, or separate? Personally, I think we should separate because of I ever have to hear this copperhead brag about his streak again, it will be too soon."  
Christof stuck out his tongue. "I am a better chess player and you know it."  
"In your dreams."

"Going separate sounds good," Paisley nodded. "It means more one-on-one time without less distractions." She turned to me. "No offense."  
"Alrighty then. Christopher, you come with me. We're gonna go find somewhere private."  
Sliver led me to a different car, one that had a giant window and a large hammock covered in throw pillows. He sat down and patted the spot beside him.

"Okay, what kind of strategy are you going for?"  
"I'm not sure. Maybe I can hide from all the big scary tributes? They can't kill me if they can't find me."  
"That's true. But you're still gonna need some survival skills. Nobody wins by just hiding."

"Like knives and stuff?"  
"Yeah, pretty much. Maybe you can get an ally to work with."

I thought about this. "Okay. As long as they don't make fun of me."  
"Huh? Why would anybody want to make fun of you?"  
I glanced down at my shirt. "Because...pink's supposed to be a stupid, girly colour."

Sliver looked confused. I began to pick at lint pieces. What if he thought I was weird for telling him that?  
Finally, he shrugged. "Oh well, if you like pink, then that isn't a problem for me. Now, what kind of allies to do you want?"

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

This was the best dinner I had ever experienced in my entire life. There were burgers, hot dogs, some weird green stuff known as relish, and more. I was starting to feel full, but there was no use in slowing down. I had to try everything! all of it!

"My...you sure are hungry!" Carissa replied nervously. She was sitting at the other end of the table. I ignored her and continued stuffing her face. Brady, who was next to me, just tried to reach for the plate of hamburgers. "Can I have one?"  
"No!" I yanked the plate away.

"Children, children! Please be nice!" Carissa stood up. "Don't worry Brady, I'll get the cooks to make some perfectly-grilled hamburgers for you."  
Brady gave her a toothy grin. "Awesome."

I just rolled my eyes and grabbed a red bottle of something called ketchup. Whatever it was, it tasted good. I squirted it all over the burgers.  
Brady just watched. "You must have a bottomless stomach or something. I bet you could eat your way through the arena if you had to!"  
"That's nice."

Beaming, Brady excitedly dug into his own meal. He chewed very awkwardly, as if he was trying to get used to that little gap in his mouth, where a tooth used to be. I shrugged and bit into a ketchup-covered burger. Some of the ketchup flew onto the table, creating a bit of a mess. I just ignored it.

There was no such thing as burgers in 12. No such thing as second helpings or extras. This was high-quality stuff that not even the merchants would be able to afford. And whatever else the cooks here had to offer, I was going to give it a taste. Hey, if I'm gonna go into the Hunger Games, I might as well go in on a full stomach.

* * *

 _Everleigh McArvin, 16_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

The blanket was too thick. I kicked it off and let it fall onto the floor. That did nothing to help, and I still found myself tossing and turning.  
Once I was finally in a comfortable position, the door creaked open and light flooded the room. I quickly buried my head underneath my pillow.

"Everleigh, honey?" Allegro asked quietly. "Are you there?"  
"Go away."  
"I'm sorry dear, but I just want to talk."

I didn't bother lifting the pillow off my head. I didn't want to talk. I just wanted to lie here until I fell asleep.  
Allegro's footsteps could be heard as she stepped inside and placed something on a nearby dresser. "I noticed you didn't eat anything at dinner."

"I wasn't hungry."  
"Well, I brought you some leftovers. There's roast beef and mashed potatoes. I just want you to know that...I'm sorry for what today. You deserve to have your identity respected and I didn't realize; it was a foolish mistake on my part. If there's any way I can make it up to you, just let me know, okay?"

Allegro left after that, shutting the door behind her. I flipped over, staring at the plate. It had a plastic cover placed over it, but the aroma was incredibly appetizing. Slowly, I lifted the cover off, picked up the fork, and poked it into the mashed potatoes. They were light and fluffy, almost like miniature clouds.

Feeling a little better, I sat up, lifted the plate onto my lap, and began to eat.

* * *

 **There's our first batch of train rides! I often struggle with these chapters, but I hope I made them interesting this time around!**

 **So, what did you think? Any tributes you like better now? Any alliances you can see forming?**

 **Hopefully, I'll get the next chapter out sometime in early May. It's a rough prediction that could end up changing but, I estimate about 10 chapters until we hit the Bloodbath! Isn't that exciting!**


	19. Train Rides 2

**I still need check-ins for the following tributes:**

 **Seine Hopper**  
 **Christopher Belmont**  
 **Paisley Weftin**  
 **Nicolyn Vargas**  
 **Gaya Westbay**  
 **Josie Doyle**

 **The check-in can be found in the author's note of Chapter 17. Please submit your answer via PM.**

 **In the light of a review I found after uploading the previous chapter, I want to say that please, let's all be kind and supportive. Yes, I deleted the review because this is not the kind of atmosphere I want surrounding this story. We should all try to accept Everleigh for who she is, not start a gender war in the reviews. If Everleigh wants to identify as a female, let her identify as a female. There is nothing wrong with that and she doesn't deserve to be called out over it.**

* * *

 _Nicolyn Vargas, 16_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

Even though it was suggested that we go to bed early, I wasn't tired. The bed looked inviting, but I didn't feel the need to crawl into it and shut my eyes. Instead, I just poked through all the closets and drawers in my room, looking for something to do.

Eventually, I wandered into the hall. Virgil's room was shut tight and I could hear him snoring. Good thing my room wasn't next to him, or else he'd be keeping me up all night.  
Paisley Lomota was nowhere to be found, so I guessed that she had claimed one of the beds here, mainly the one with the closed door. Normally that wasn't very exciting, but muffled sounds were coming from inside. It sounded like...crying? I pressed my ear against the door to listen.

"Calm down, Paisley. I don't understand why you're getting so worked up over this. You've been great!"  
 _Calendria? What's she doing in there?_

"I'm nervous..."  
"About what?"  
There was a sniffling sound, then Paisley's shaky voice spoke again. "I...what if I give them the wrong advice...and get them killed?"  
 _Is she talking about me? And Virgil too?_

"There is no such thing as wrong advice. Just tell them what you can. I'll be here to help you out, alright? I know you're still upset about last year, but you did amazing! The tributes loved you and I'm sure these two will as well."  
Paisley muttered something else, way too quiet for me to hear. I leaned in closer, just as the door swung open. I was shoved into the wall and the door hit me in the face. "OW!"

Calendria gasped. "Oh, Nicolyn! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there...what are you doing up?"  
"Nothing..."  
"Okay then, why don't you get to bed?"

Fine by me. I turned and headed back down the hall, careful to avoid any open doors.

* * *

 _Eagle Roseworth, 16_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

Fire.

Everything around me was burning. Hot blasts of red and orange filled the sky and smoke danced through the air. I felt the urge to run...but I couldn't. My feet were rooted to the ground, unable to travel away. All I could do was stare.

"Eagle!" My mother's voice was very distant. "Let's go!"  
"Listen!" someone else yelled. "Listen to your mother-"

My father was interrupted as the flames formed a claw. It tore at my father, ripping him away. I shrieked loudly, before my mother magically appeared at my side and started dragging me with her.  
"No, Dad! Don't leave us! No!"  
"Go son, get out of here! I'll catch up..."

Flames obscured my vision. Tears started to stream down my face as my father was reduced to nothing but ash.

My eyes popped open and I sat up. There was no fire anywhere and I couldn't smell smoke. I was in a small room, lying across a large bed with a blanket just barely covering me. Sunlight streamed in through a window.  
 _Fire...there's no fire. The fire's gone, the fire's gone._

Gradually, my heartbeat slowed down, returning to a normal pace. Nothing in this room was going to hurt me. It was all a nightmare.  
Too real of a nightmare.

"Eagle?" Somebody knocked at the door. "Breakfast is ready!"  
"Coming," I muttered. I crawled out of bed and opened up the closet. maybe a nice meal would get all those burning visions out of my head.

* * *

 _Desdemona Montague, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

Breakfast was amazing. I slaughtered my waffles in whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and fresh fruit. Leonidas just stood by the table, chugging a protein shake.  
"You enjoying yourself there?" Foxy asked me, digging into his own breakfast. I just nodded and swallowed a mouthful of waffle.

I knew where the train was heading...yet it didn't feel real. I was going to the Capitol. The Capitol. The glorious Capitol. It was like something out of a daydream, way too amazing to be true.  
"You look excited," Benjamin said as he sipped his coffee. "What's the occasion?"

"We're going to the Capitol!"  
"I know that."

"It sounds like a wonderful place to visit. I bet there's a lot of dazzling lights and big skyscrapers...Mom once told me that it's really colourful!"  
Benjamin nodded. "Yeah, it is. You've never been?"  
"No...but I want to go! And now I finally get the chance!"

Foxy shrugged. "They did manage to rebuild themselves pretty quickly after the Dark Days. Arley likes joking that they hired a special team of-"  
"Arley?" It was a bit rude of me to interrupt but at hearing her name, I couldn't resist. "You know Arley Dawson?"

"Yeah. All of us Victors know each other. Why do you ask?"  
My cheeks heated up. Not only was I going to see the beauty of the Capitol up close and personal, but I'd get to meet some of my idols. I couldn't understand why other tributes always looked so scared upon getting Reaped. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

* * *

 _Zeke Beckett, 16_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

A bad sense of unease had formed in my stomach last night and refused to go away. I had done my best to ignore it by attempting to empty my bladder, eat a giant breakfast, anything. The feeling was stubborn and driving me nuts. Was I gonna start vomiting or something?

I wasn't too afraid to admit I was nervous. And I was. It hadn't even been 24 hours and I already missed my home. I wanted to wake up in my own bed. I wanted to snort and giggle at all of Quinn's stupid jokes. I wanted to feel the sense of relief that came after each Reaping, knowing that I was safe for another year.  
Would I ever do any of that again?

At least I wasn't alone. I had someone else stuck in the same position as me. Maybe Brynn was as scared as me, but just held it in better? Maybe she missed District 5 too? How did everyone back home feel? My parents, my dear older brothers...

"Do you think there's anything good on right now?" Brynn asked one of the attendants. She was sitting on the couch, fiddling with a remote.  
"Usually not this early in the morning." The attendant shrugged. "But it wouldn't hurt to check."

Brynn pointed the remote at the television set and pressed a button. The screen flickered to life, showing a woman who was talking loudly to her audience. Brynn began to flip through the channels, looking for something to watch.  
I sat down at the end of the couch, keeping a bit of distance between us. Brynn clicked the button one last time and we ended up on a cartoon for kids that featured ninjas who could spin really fast and create colourful tornadoes.

I tried to enjoy the show, but the feeling in my stomach would not leave me be. It just churned around and around and around...

* * *

 _Rowena Marius, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

Riding a train wasn't so bad. There just wasn't a lot to do. Sometimes, I would get really bored and stare out the window, watching rows and rows of trees whizz on by. That was new sight. We didn't have so many trees in 4.  
"You enjoying the view?" Fjord asked me. I didn't get why he sounded so nervous all the time. He already survived the Games! What was there to be nervous about?

"Sure."  
"Okay...just checking."

Fjord left. I went back to staring outside. After a few minutes, somebody else tapped me on the shoulder. It was Bravo.  
"What do you want?"  
"I want to a propose something to you."

Huh. The kid had something up his sleeves. I hoped he wasn't trying to hit on me. Lucy wouldn't be amused.  
"Okay...what is it?"  
"An alliance."

That was it? "An...alliance. That's what you came here for."  
"Yes, one between you and me. We can still team up with any other tribute...but our own pact will go a lot deeper than any pact they've made. I'll be honest, I don't trust anybody as far as I can throw them."

"But you'd rather ally with a district partner," I mused. "Huh...I see what's happening. You want us to join other teams together, but form a secret pact. That way, if trouble arises, or you need to slit a couple of throats..."  
"I've got company," Bravo finished. "We can work out all the kinks later. But for now...what do you say?"

Why not? I was in. A trustworthy partner didn't sound so bad and I was certain I could handle Bravo if he ever dared to pose a threat to me.  
"Sure. Let's be allies."

* * *

 _Basileon "Leo" Fungo, 13_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

What would my mother say about my predicament right now? What kind of predictions would she heave to tell me? If the stars in the sky and the zodiac signs could send me a message about my fate right now, would it be a blessing or a curse?

I blamed the omens. If only they had worked in my favour. Why couldn't they just slip past me and bestow their fortunes upon to somebody else...but would I really wish this upon somebody else? Not really. And now I was stuck. I couldn't change what happened in the past.

 _I need some mushrooms,_ I thought to myself. _That would help me calm down._ But those would be hard to find on a train. And I didn't want to get into any trouble if I was caught.  
Suddenly, I felt the train starting to slow down. Outside, the rushing scenery that could be seen through the windows came to a gradual halt.

"What happened?" Gaya asked, peeking head out from her room.  
"We're here!" Charlemagne announced. "Come on you two. The sooner we get off, the less time the paparazzi has to bother us."

Quietly, I followed him off the train. A pathway had been roped off and led to a building right in front of us. To the sides, loud people with brightly coloured hair were waving cameras and screaming, trampling over one another to try and get a better look at me. Nervously, I kept my head down. I didn't have any answers for their questions.

Charlemagne brought us inside, closing the door behind him. "This place is called the Remake Centre. Your stylists should be coming shortly to get you all nice and ready for the Parade. I'll come find you afterwards." With that, he strolled off.

So many overwhelming things had happened so far. I wasn't sure what to make of it. Even though everything seemed harmless, I had a sneaking suspicion that the omens would be back soon to haunt me.

* * *

 **Yay, train rides are done! Next up will be a chapter dedicated to the Parade. Like I mentioned in my form and previous story, tributes are to wear fancy clothing instead of silly costumes for the Parade, because the fashion industry hans't blossomed in the Capitol yet. I personally think it will take a while before trends like face modifications, dying skin, and ridiculous clothing lines become a thing.**

 **Once again, don't worry if your tribute didn't get a POV during Train Rides; they will get one during actual training. Every tribute will get at least two separate POVs (I count the Reaping POVs as one) before the Games start. This way, everyone gets their fair share of spotlight.**

 **Also, I put a poll up on my profile. It would be greatly appreciated if you check it out. Thanks!**


	20. The Parade: All That Glitters

**I am still missing check-ins for the following tributes:**

 **Seine Hopper**  
 **Nicolyn Vargas**  
 **Josie Doyle**

 **The check-in note can be found at the end of Chapter 17. Please submit your answer via PM. This will be the last reminder.  
**

 **Due to an overnight trip, I haven't gotten that much of a chance to update. But I wanted to get the Parade out of the way to make room for a more important chapter later. Plus, I get to write from Topaz's perspective again!**

* * *

 _Topaz Blitzen, 21_  
 _Gamemaker_

* * *

This is it. It's real. It's happening.

I clutched my hands tightly together, careful not to bump into any of the colourful people flying around me, chattering in their strange accents. Somehow, I managed to navigate the hall and find the stairs. Taurus let me know earlier that I had a special booth reserved just for me.

How important I was, for the Head Gamemaker to reserve special privileges in my name! Yet, I couldn't let myself get distracted. I had another job to cares about all this fancy stuff like private booths? I'm on the inside. That's all that matters.

Despite that, I was still worried as I headed upstairs. What if I was discovered? What if I said the wrong thing and gave my identity away? No...stop. Bad Topaz! Think positive, think positive...  
Somehow, I made it to my booth without incident. Settling down onto the giant cough, I took in my surroundings. An entire wall was missing, having been replaced with a glass, so I could see the streets below.

An entire road had been left cleared. Music began to play and everyone started clapping, cheering, and screaming. In the booths around me, the same noises could be heard.  
The Parade was about to begin.

The first chariot rode out and the crowd gave them a huge round of applause. Leonidas wore a black suit that looked rather snug, as if it was made to show his muscles off to the crowd. Beside him stood a rather dazed Desdemona, dressed in a pale silver dress covered in shimmering diamonds. She had a huge grin on her face as she politely waved at random people, causing them to yell even more.

District 2 managed to draw even more attention with Challis clapping his hands over his head. His suit's texture looked interesting, as if it had just been carved out of stone. Several Capitolites joined in as Challis began to chant, "DISTRICT TWO! DISTRICT TWO!" Victoria looked rather nice as well, in a flowing golden dress and black leggings. She had both of her hands pressed over her ears. I didn't blame her.

Several oohs and aahs could be heard when Axis appeared, in an emerald green ballgrown and a giant fancy headpiece that looked like a motherboard. How she managed to keep that thing on, I had no clue. Mark, on the other hand, looked like he was more or less trying to hide behind his district partner. His clothing was mixture of all sorts of colours; a black jacket, a pink shirt, a blue bowtie. I never knew that kind of combination worked. But then again, it was the Capitol.

The next chariot was a bit harder to look at. With the way her dress reflected all the light around her, Rowena looked as if she was glowing. She waved elegantly, not too bothered by her clothes at all. Bravo's maroon suit was a lot easier on the eyes. He gave the crowd a few smiles and waves, nothing too extravagant. Two different styles for two different tributes

Neither tribute from 5 was waving. They both just stared forward. Zeke wore a neat black suit, and Brynnelle had on a floor-length white dress. However, there were a few things I picked up on. The way Brynnelle fiddled with her fingers, the tear in the corner of Zeke's eye. It was unnerving, really. The way many tributes looked so strong and composed, but you can tell they might break down at any moment.

 _Wow. I sound like a Capitolite._

 _Is that guy staring at me?_

 _Don't worry about, just go enjoy the Parade...think positive, think positive, think positive..._

District 6 was up next. Seine just wore a purple blouse and a darker skirt. Nestor didn't seem to be following the tradition of dressing nicely, considering his leather jacket and spiked up hair. The crowd roared at the sight, to which Nestor replied by yelling some not-so-nice words and sticking his fist in the air. The crowd just cheered even louder at the sight. If looks could kill, Nestor would have already murdered everyone.

The cheering continued to grow as District 7 pulled out. Everleigh, blushing from all the attention, was wearing a short green dress decorated in tiny silver beads. Kyliana gave her a warm smile; her dress was a lot longer and in pale orange. Everybody seemed to like the two girls as the horses pulling their chariot trotted onward.

Then came District 8. Paisley wore a simple sundress covered in a pattern that I knew, but couldn't quite place. _Oh wait...it's paisley pattern. I get it._ On the other side of the chariot, Christopher was wearing a nice white dress shirt underneath a blue blazer, along with some khakis. He didn't seem too excited about his clothing, though.

I was trying to enjoy seeing that tributes, but I still couldn't shake the feeling someone was staring at me. Yes it sounded silly and maybe I was worrying too much...but it was more than that. I didn't just feel it. I _knew._

Nervously, I shook my head and stared back out the window. District 9 rolled on by. Nicolyn wore a maroon dress with long sleeves that extended to her wrists. She was scowling at the crowd around her. Virgil seemed a lot more relaxed, in a white slacks and matching blazer, leaving his chest completely exposed. It was hard to ignore the screaming hordes of women and the rather inappropriate comments they were shouting. Why, though? He's just a kid!

District 10 had some nice outfits. Eagle was wearing a white suit that had a symbol of his namesake sewn onto it, while Shana was dressed in a simple purple dress. But upon their arrival, the crowd went crazy. Eagle ducked as shoes, cups, and trash was thrown at him from all angles.

"You freaking traitor!"  
"Go die already!"  
"Rebellious scum!"

Eagle just stared forward, attempting to ignore everyone. Shana kept her head down, clutching onto the chariot as tightly as possible.

The audience had just started to quiet down as District 11 pulled up. Basileon had a robe made from lion fur rapped around his body; it didn't look like it fit him at all. Gaya wore a green dress and just kept picking at the lace on her sleeves. Neither tribute made much of an effort to look the crowd in the eye. Perhaps they were just shy? Or maybe they were worried that they would be treated like Eagle.

Last but not least, District 12 appeared. Brady was gaining a lot of attention as he jumped up and down in the chariot, waving like crazy. His outfit was pretty simple; just a polo shirt and some grey slacks. Josie had her arms folded, wisely keeping her distance from Brady's arms. She had on a knee-length orange dress.

Together, all chariots stood in two rows, awaiting a speech from President Sterling Snow. As he formally welcomed the tributes to the Capitol, I felt a tap on my shoulder.  
It was the man, the one who kept staring at me. He probably wasn't much older than I was and wore a red uniform. His jet black hair had been spiked up and I caught sight of dark circles under his eyes; they easily stood out against his pale skin.

 _An Avox._

I never knew what to do with Avoxes. I had been told they were all filthy criminals, but I had a hard time believing it. We punish criminals in the districts, but never so severe as to cut out their tongue and treat them like worthless slaves. It always felt wrong to use them like that.

The Avox had been carrying a tray containing only a single drink. He picked the drink up and placed it in the table in front of me.  
"I think you have the wrong table, I didn't order any-" I was cut off by the Avox placing a finger against his lips and stepping outside. He didn't leave, though; just walked a couple steps down the hallway, then turned to watch me.

Carefully, I picked up the drink. It was a see -through glass, containing some sort of fizzy soda that tasted like ginger ale. On the bottom, I noticed two notes. One was from Foxy. I tucked it into the pocket of my jacket. Here would be a terrible place to read it.

The other note was lot smaller and slightly crumpled. Unlike Foxy's smooth, slightly messy handwriting, the words here were all jagged and slanted, as if the note was scrawled down in a rush. I Ink splotches were everywhere. Yet, it only contained one simple sentence.

 _Tell James that I love him._

Instantly, I glanced behind me at the Avox, but he was already gone.

* * *

 **So, that was the Parade! I know it was a bit repetitive, but I did enjoy describing the outfits you all gave me.**

 **Out important chapter's gonna be coming up next, then it's training time. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out at the end of this month, and Training Day 1 at the beginning of June. My trip did mess up my OLS schedule up a bit, though.**

 **Also, as a random side note, tomorrow's my birthday!**


	21. The Victor's Council of Panem

**Thank you for all the reviews I've gotten so far! It's amazing, the amount of support I'm receiving.  
**

 **Here's the special chapter I've been promising. It's gonna help boost the plot, that's for sure.**

* * *

 _Basileon "Leo" Fungo, 13_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _"What's that?"_

 _Uncle Bam held it up so I could see it better. "It's mushroom."_  
 _The mushroom wasn't very big. It didn't look too exciting either. But I had been promised it was special. "What does it do?"_

 _"Well, you eat it." Uncle Bam pretended to throw the mushroom into his mouth. "And then you wait. Then things start to happen."_  
 _"Like what?"_

 _"It's...it's hard to explain. You'll have a different experience depending on which mushroom you eat. But no matter what, it makes you feel great. They say it's just hallucinations, but I'm telling you Leo, they're more than hallucinations. Everything bad that's happening...these little shrooms can make you forget."_

 _"Can I try one?"_  
 _Uncle Bam laughed. "Maybe when you're older, buddy. Your mother would kill us if she found out...you know what, okay, but just one."_

 _He plucked a second mushroom and gave me the smaller one. It didn't seem like it could do anything special, except taste the way a mushroom should. But I took a deep breath and placed it on my tongue._

 _What happened next was almost impossible to describe. First the floor disappeared. Then, I felt like I was flying. Then, I was laughing. My body was constantly alternating between sweating and shivering, but I didn't care. I could hear the vibrant colours that danced around me, see the way my giggles turned into shrieks, and more._

 _It was amazing. I felt no reason to worry. No stress, no anxiety, no problems. This first high, this little utopia the mushroom had created for me was too good to be true._

 _It was unlike anything I had ever experienced._

* * *

I've been chasing that first high ever since.

I've tried all sorts of mushrooms, been on all sorts of trips, but nothing has ever felt the same. Yes, it was still fun, but there was something lacking. There was something missing.

When I ate that first mushroom, I felt no reason to feel any negative emotions. They still blocked those feelings out, just not to the degree I wanted. I'd get high, come off, and still feel upset. I'd still feel anxious. I'd still feel worried, nervous, down in the dumps. I couldn't change that. I felt this way all the time.

 _You are a Leo,_ my mother said. _This means you are kind, headstrong, and loyal._

I felt like anything but a Leo. I wasn't the brave, majestic lion I had been named after. I was the weak and wimpy cub who hid behind drugs to obscure his problems. I was the coward.  
Finally, the elevator stopped moving. I stepped out and found myself on the roof. I didn't let my mentor know what I was doing before I ran off. At this point, there was no use in telling.

Slowly, my feet carried me to the edge. I was moving forward, yet I felt like I wasn't controlling myself. It was as if I was stuck in some sort of trance or daze. Before I knew it, my body was pressed up against the glass railing that went around the roof, to prevent people from falling off.

Gently, I lifted up one leg and felt the bottom of my shoe rest against the top of the glass. I repeated the process with my second leg. Once I was standing up, a sliver of doubt crossed my mind.  
Why am I doing this? Well...why would I want to keep going? There was nothing left for me back in 11. My mother would just accept this is a sad superstition and move on. Uncle Bam would just wolf down mushrooms like nothing happened. Was that all I was really fighting to go home to!? Mushrooms!?

My feet slipped and I jumped off. Before I knew it, I was falling.

No, not falling. Flying. I was flying.

It was an incredible feeling. An ultimate high.

It was unlike anything I had ever experienced.

* * *

 _Fjord Hemmings, 19_  
 _Victor of the 6th Annual Hunger Games and District 4 Mentor_

* * *

This would be my first time actually getting to meet the other Victors and I was extremely nervous. Oscar had offered to go with me, but I told him that I would be fine by myself. Now, as the elevator rose, my stomach had twisted itself into knots.

Finally, the doors opened. In the middle of the grass-covered rooftop sat a wooden picnic table, shaped like a circle. Already, five people sat around it, laughing and chatting.  
"Okay, get this. You know what Vermont said was the latest trend in the Capitol right now? Makeup. And I'm not talking about the normal makeup either, I'm-" Arley cut herself off upon seeing me standing there. At once, everyone turned to look in my direction.

"Um, hi!" I gave a small wave. "Am I late?"  
"Actually, you're right on time." Sliver glanced at his watch. "We were just about to start. Come sit."

I took the only available seat, right between Sliver and Paisley. Once I was settled, Sliver stood up and clapped his hands. "As the President of the Victor's Council of Panem, I declare the opening of this meeting. As you all know, we have a new member sitting with us today. Everyone, please give a warm welcome for Fjord Hemmings."

Foxy, Claymore, and Arley gave me a round of polite claps. Paisley just...stared. She had leaned in rather close, staring up at me with a dreamy smile on her face. Was she alright? I was about to ask, when I noticed the goofy smiles all around.

 _"Paisley has a crush on you!"_ Arley sang.  
"W-what? No! I do not!" Paisley folded her arms, but she was clearly blushing.  
"Oh, come on, look at your face! Someone's looking for a fun night with a District 4 beauty!"

Claymore rolled his eyes. "And I thought you weren't straight, Arley."  
"You're just jealous that my girlfriend thinks I'm the better riot in the sheets!" Arley jabbed her finger into Claymore's face. He just snickered.  
"Humph. You last what? Only two minutes? Please! I can do waaaaay better than that-"

"Sorry to ruin the little conversation here," Sliver interrupted. "But I think we should all refrain from talking about our sex lives until after the meeting is over. If anyone has any real issues to discuss, don't be afraid to bring them up."  
"Let's address the elephant in the room here." Arley was focused on Claymore again, but her voice was no longer flirty or playful. There was a strong note of accusation in her tone. "Like the fact he's been training kids to volunteer for the Hunger Games!"

"What!?" Claymore spluttered. "Since when have I ever done that!?"  
"Since you guys built that Academy, that's when!" Arley's eyes narrowed. "Oh, don't play stupid, Claymore. Volunteers like that don't just come out of nowhere."

"No, you don't play like that. I built that Academy to turn the fine young men and women of today into the Peacekeepers of tomorrow. And if some teenager wants to abuse the equipment we have and train themselves for all the wrong reasons, then I can't control that! I've already told them that it's a big mistake, but neither of them will listen!"

"That isn't your fault." Foxy muttered. "But don't you think you should at least make the effort to sort things out?"  
"He isn't gonna make any effort," Arley spat. "I bet he's already planning an Academy course in which he teaches his charges how to snap a 12 year-old's neck."  
Foxy frowned. "Arley, that's extremely uncalled for."

Everyone seemed on edge, I fidgeted nervously.  
 _What is even happening?_

Claymore groaned loudly. "Do any of you get it!? I believe in authority and discipline, and that's what I teach at my Academy. I do something for the greater good of Panem. And did Victoria take these lessons and treat them as training? Yes. Am I happy about it? No! But there's only so much power I have in my District! There's only so much I can control over the attendees!"  
Arley crossed her arms. "Come on. He evens admits to owning the Academy. You're looking shadier by the minute, Regans."  
"No Dawson, you're just being stubborn."

Paisley's hands were covering her ears. "G-guys, stop it!"  
"That's enough, you two!" Foxy warned.  
"Why are you allowing this!?" Arley shouted. "Why are you allowing him to have this advantage over us!? Why are you allowing him to get away with it!?"

"Oh my flipping Snow, Arley, it's not my fault!"  
"It's unfair!"  
"Stop!" Paisley wailed.

Arley and Claymroe continued to shout in each other's faces. Paisley whimpered loudly. Foxy jumped in, attempting to pull the two Victors apart. I didn't know what to do. All the accusation Arley was making, all the ways Claymore deflected them...was any of this true?  
Claymore was now standing up. He looked ready to attack, until Sliver slammed his fists on the table.

"SHUT UP!"

Silence. We all stared at Sliver in shock.

"I don't know where this came from, but I will not be tolerating any nonsense in my Council. And whether you like it or not, we're all adults here, so grow up!"

Arley opened her mouth to argue, but Sliver cut her off.

"Listen, I'm taking care of Christopher this year and I will be doing everything I can to help him succeed. The same goes with Christof. And in your districts, I bet you all want to help your tributes too. But I don't see how any of you are getting anywhere when you're all fighting like a pack of goddamn animals! Claymore, Arley, start acting your age! Foxy, you know better than get carried away like that! Paisley, show some dominance if you need to, and what on Earth is he doing here!?

I glanced behind me. Basileon, the small boy from 11 had just arrived on the rooftop. He kept his head down, somehow managing to ignore us. Slowly, he walked on by.  
"Does Charlemagne know?" Arley asked, but nobody answered her. We all kept our eyes on the tribute, who was now standing at edge, by the railing.

 _Why is he climbing...wait!_

Foxy made the connection the same time I did, jumping from his seat, yelling, "Stop him!" He and Claymore bolted for the railing. But just as they reached him, Basileon was already falling.

* * *

 **? place: Basileon "Leo" Fungo, District 11. Jumped off the rooftop of the Training Centre.**

 **Geez, it's not even the Bloodbath and I'm already killing kids off. But Leo's death helped kickstart the plot I had going alongside the Games and eventually merge the two together. I did feel pretty bad about this decision, because Leo was such a detailed character and I did like him an awful lot. Astrology and mushrooms are not something associated together, but they worked perfectly for his character. I'm sorry Platrium, that Leo's time in the Games is over before it even started, but I hope you know he was great and you'll continue to read the rest of this story. I like to believe there is an afterlife for all deceased tributes, so maybe he'll be there, chilling with Desmond and talking about mushrooms with Pellia.  
**

* * *

 **Ooh, cliffhanger! Looks like the mentors are in some hot water right now!  
**

 **So...what did you guys think? About the sudden death? The tensions between Victors? Do you like the direction the story is heading?**

 **Don't worry, training is up next and those will be normal chapters. Can't have everybody dropping like flies before the Games begin.**


	22. Training Day 1: Game of Survival

**Here we go, training time!**

* * *

 _Gaya Westbay, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

I had never slept in such a big bed before. We weren't that poor back home, but I didn't know anybody who would ever be bale to afford this. In a way, it was nice to just lie here, surrounded by pillows and blankets. Until, Charlemagne burst in through the door.

"Buongiorno principessa! Come on Gaya, time to get up!"

As much as I wanted to stay here, I knew I'd had to leave at some point. I stepped out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. When I got out, my training uniform was waiting for me. It was simple, just a T-shirt and jogging pants with black stripes running down the sides. The number was 11 was visible on the back.

Even though I wanted to go down to training as early as possible, Charlemagne had me eat breakfast while he sent a team of Avoxes to go look for Leo. I hadn't seen him since last night and I hoped he was okay. It wasn't a good idea to wander around this building by yourself, especially when you didn't know where to go.

Finally, Charlemagne just gave up. He took me down to the Training Centre. Only a few tributes were milling around, which I didn't mind. It was important to get a head start on training when I could, so I would have to time to learn as much as possible. I approached the knot tying station, but the trainer stopped me.  
"I'm sorry miss, but the stations are not open yet. Please wait until everyone has arrived."

After a few minutes, the last tributes filed in. But before anything could happen, a strange man walked into the room. He was followed by a little boy.

"Welcome tributes, to our Training Centre! For those of you who don't know, my name is Taurus Blackman. I'm the Head Gamemaker. Now, I know you're all eager to train but before you do, I have some announcements to make. First of all, you might have noticed only 23 tributes are here. This is because, due to an unfortunate accident last night, Mr. Basileon Fungo is no longer with us."

A few people gasped. I felt a pit in my stomach. What happened!?

"As a result, we have a replacement tribute who was Reaped from 11." Taurus pointed to the boy behind him. "This is Mr. Thames Williams. He will be filling in the role of the male tribute from 11. The second thing I have to say is, the rooftop is off-limits. You are not permitted to go there. Third, I will be assessing your skills over the 3-day period you have to train. At the end, you be given a number between 1 and 12. It will not that big of a significance if you don't think it matters...but it might be a good way to tell who your enemies are. Now, does anyone have any questions?"

When nobody said anything, Taurus clapped his hands together. "Okay. Let's train!"

* * *

 _Challis Scorn, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

Claymore told Victoria and I that if we wanted a good alliance, the pair from 1 would be our best bet. Not only was it a strategy that seemed to well in past arenas, they were a lot older and looked a lot stronger. That was pretty much the only thing Victoria and I agreed on. We didn't need any deadweight.

Once Taurus Blackman let us go, I chased after them and tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Hey there!"  
Both turned around. The boy scowled, but the girl had a huge smile on her face. "Oh, hi! You must be the boy from District 2, right? I'm Desdemona and this big guy right here is Leonidas!"  
"I can introduce myself!" Leonidas grumbled. "But...what do you want, 2?"

"We want propose an alliance, " Victoria replied, coming up behind me. "Together, we'd be the strongest tributes in the Games."  
Desdemona clapped her hands together excitedly. "Ooh! I like this!"  
Leonidas, on the other hand, didn't look so convinced. "How do you know? How do I know that you're not lying to get me on your side?"

I shrugged. "Well...I'm pretty handy with an axe. And a mace. And Victoria trained at the Peacekeeper Academy in our district, so she obviously must know something!"  
Desdemona gasped, ignoring Victoria giving me a look. "You have a Peacekeeper Academy?"  
Leonidas sighed. "Well...I can't argue with that...I guess. Alright, I'm game."

I stuck out my hand. Leonidas gave it a firm shake. Desdemona followed. "I'll join too."  
Victoria nodded. "It's a deal."

We then all split up. I found myself wandering over to a first-aid station. Considering that I already knew which weapons I was good with, I figured it didn't hurt to learn a little first-aid.  
Picking up one of the kits, I waved to get the trainer's attention. "Sorry to bother you. Can you tell me how to use this?"

* * *

 _Brady Griffith, 12_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

"OW!"

"Kid, be careful!" The trainer yanked the knife away. "These aren't toys, you know!"  
"Sorry!"  
"Ugh...you know what, go do something else. I don't need you screwing up and stabbing yourself again!"

I jumped away from the knives and looked for another station. There was one labeled "Camouflage" and consisted of a large table covered in paints. Paint sounded fun. I headed over.  
Already, another boy who looked to be about my age was mixing a palette together. He looked like he'd be fun to hang out with. For a while, I stood next to him, filling up another palette with paint, before I heard him clear his throat.

"Um...your finger's bleeding."  
"Huh? Oh yeah, I accidentally cut myself with a knife."  
He looked horrified. "What!? Are you okay!?"

"Yeah. It just stings, but it's all good! I'm Brady, by the way."  
"Christopher," he mumbled. "But it's way too long, so everyone calls me Kit."

"While I like it! Kit sounds so cute!" I smiled and Kit gave me a tiny grin. "Wanna be partners?"  
"Sure...I didn't think anybody would ask me this quickly."  
"Sounds great! Ooh, we should get the boy from 11 too!"

Kit glanced behind his shoulder, where the boy from 11 was practicing throwing knives. "Thames? I don't know...he kinda just came out of nowhere. Anyways, I wanna see if this paint makes me look like a tree."

I stared at my own palette. "Mine's too dark. It looks so ugly...I wonder what happens if I add some pink?"  
Kit's eyes lit up. "Did you say pink?"

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute  
_

* * *

Lunch was pretty normal. I was used to eating most of these foods, but it still surprised me that there were so many good cooks in the Capitol. I took my time enjoying the meal. But soon, I had to get back down to business.

It was easier to rule out who I didn't want as an ally. Nobody aged 14 or under; I was not spending my Games babysitting. And nobody weak. The girls from 7, the deaf boy from 3, all of them were complete deadweight. I wanted a team of fine fighters would I could use to clear a path to victory.

After lunch, I went straight to the bow and arrow station. It seemed easy, but after a couple of tips, I found out out it was hard just keeping my arrow pointing in a straight direction. I took a few shots, most of them landing in the outer ring. Eventually, I just put my bow down and watched Nicolyn for a bit before she finished up and we found ourselves staring at one another.

"What do you want, Virgil?"  
"I was waiting for you to finish up. Come on, let's go find some allies."  
Nicolyn crossed her arms. "Since when did I say we were ever allies?"  
"Good luck finding any with that attitude."

Nicoyln's shoulder slumped. "True. Anyways...who did you have in mind?"  
"I think the pairs from 1 and 2 have already banded..it's fine, we don't need them. I think we should go for them pair from 4. And maybe the girl from 3. But not her district partner, though."

Nicoyln gestured to the girl from 10, who was violently hacking away at dummies with a machete. "What about her?"  
I shook my head. "No. She's way too unpredictable. I want us to have to be the most powerful members in our group." To be honest, I only cared about being the strongest, the one everyone looked up to. But it would've been a bad idea to leave Nicolyn out. And if something went wrong, she could always back me up.

"Okay, Virgil, I like the way you're thinking." We both glanced at the throwing knives station, where the girl from 3 was practicing. "Let's go."

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _The 1, 2 Fanclub (I kid, I kid):_ Leonidas, Desdemona, Challis, Victoria.

 _Smol Bean Squad:_ Christopher, Brady. (Thames?)

 _Fine Fighters:_ Virgil, Nicolyn. (Axis? Bravo? Rowena?)

 _Loners/Unconfirmed:_ Mark, Brynnelle, Zeke, Seine, Nestor, Everleigh, Kyliana, Paisley, Eagle, Shana, Gaya, Josie.

* * *

 **So...here's a look at the forming of some alliances! These aren't final, as there's two more days of training, so not all alliances have joined up yet. The tributes from 1 and 2 joining up is a headcanon that appeared back at the end of Rebellious Fate and all the cinnamon rolls allying is because I need it.**

 **I know it's a bit short, but I am working on writing longer training chapters and giving the tributes longer POVs (though Gaya's is the largest because hers was containing all the info Taurus was telling the tributes). I think the other training chapters will be a lot better because I've started to get a feel for writing them and the different personalities of the tributes.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you think of these alliances!**


	23. Training Day 2: Trust in Me

**Here we are with the second training day. I apologize in advance if it doesn't seem like an awful much happened; I've been pretty bummed out and down in the dumps lately. On top of that, there's a lot of school projects I have left to complete, some of which are driving me nuts.  
**

* * *

 _Seine Hopper, 16_  
 _District 6 Female Tribute_

* * *

It seemed like a good idea to start the second day of training by checking out the edible plants station. Once we were given the chance to move around, I made my way over. The trainer seemed delighted to have somebody to teach and quickly pointed at a table with a screen.

"You see that right there? That's our electronic test. You have thirty seconds to study which berries are edible, and which are poisonous. Then, you have to sort them before the time runs out. Go ahead, give it a try."

I glanced down at the screen, as several different images flashed on at once. I didn't know where to look focus and by the time I had a few berries memorized, the test was starting. Each time a silhouette flashed on screen, I had to guess whether the berry was edible or not. It was hard to keep up and I finished the test with a measly 55.

"Dang it," I muttered, moving aside so some other tribute could complete the stupid test. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her fingers gliding effortlessly across the screen. She did way better than me, finishing off with a 77. Impressive.  
"How did you..." I felt my mouth drop open as the girl turned around to looked me in the eye.

She was drop dead _gorgeous_. Seriously. She was a bit taller than I was, but had long black locks, muscled arms, and porcelain skin. As soon as our eyes locked, I could feel my face burn slightly. No, not just burning. My cheeks felt as if they were completely engulfed in flames. Hopefully, the girl didn't notice.  
"Oh...this? It's easy. I just memorized as much as possible."  
"I can see. I'm not the best with the kind of stuff...oh, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Seine, from District 6."

"Kyliana," the girl muttered softly. "From District 7." She awkwardly held out her hand. I gave it a firm shake.  
What a beautiful name. "I like it. Well, Kyliana...do you think you could show me how you did that? I mean, if you want to."

Kyliana gave me a small smile. "Yeah, I don't mind."

* * *

 _Paisley Weftin, 16_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

Survival stations were easy to work with. It didn't take me long to work out a routine around building shelters, or starting fires, or even water purification. However, even if these stations were important, they wouldn't bring me all the way to the end. Sliver told me that.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try out a weapon...but only one. One addition to the routine, and that was it. But which one should I choose? After glancing at each and every station available, I settled for spears. Learning how to master a long-distance weapon wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Hey there!" the trainer chirped. "Interested in learning about spears?"  
"Uh...yes." I eyed the rack of weapons, all different sizes.  
"That's great!" The trainer selected a spear from the middle. "Here, I think this might work best for you. Have you ever handled one before? No? Well then, no problem! First, you want to find the balance point."

I shifted the spear along my hand.  
"Okay, now you've got to grip it properly. Use all five fingers and make sure your thumb is along the bottom. There! You're the ready to aim!"

I glanced over at the dummies, sitting towards the back of the room. Would I really be able to throw that far? "Really?"  
"Of course! First, aim your throw. How the spear up to your ear and keep it level to the ground. Now, take a step forward...are you right-handed? Yes? Okay, then you're turning your body lightly to the right. Now, bend your left knee...just a bit...and hold your other arm out."

I wasn't used to this. My body wobbled slightly and my grip around the shaft of the spear was growing sweaty. but I kept my position and my spear steady. Then, I threw.  
The spear sailed through the air and hit one of the dummies. It didn't look too impressive, however. The spear just ended up sticking out of the dummy's side, barely doing any damage.  
I grimaced.

The trainer shrugged. "Hey, it's your first time. Happens to everybody. Why don't you try again?"

* * *

 _Bravo Turner, 15_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

I pointed over a station that consisted of several collapsed tents lying around. "Let's go to that one next."  
Rowena shrugged. "Okay."

I personally thought it was a smart idea to ally with my district partner. Lately, as we tried out different stations together, I got to study her. From what I picked up, Rowena was some serious competition. She may have been beautiful, but she wasn't an airhead. And the thing was...she was aware of this. She was aware that whenever we walked into a room, all eyes fell on her first.  
But I needed her. I needed someone I could hide behind an guide to victory. My victory. It was a risky plan, but if I played my cards right, maybe I could make this work.

As for setting up the tents, it was easier said then done. There were poles of all different sizes and I wasn't sure what went where. The tents also came with a cover I had to place over the top, as if there wasn't enough to do already. Then, I had to nail everything into the ground with pegs.

As I was searching for the hammer, I felt a sharp tap on the shoulder.  
"Hey," a small voice muttered. I glanced over and found myself staring at the girl from 3...what was her name? It started with an A...Alice? No, Axis. That's who she was. Behind her was the pair from 9.  
The boy from 9 nodded at me. "Hey. I'm Virgil. Nicolyn, Axis, and I were wondering if you'd like to join our alliance. We're looking for some strong players and I think you two would fit the bill."  
I glanced over at Rowena, who was attempting to peg her tent down. "An alliance, you say? Rowena, what do you think?"

My district partner shrugged. "Well, I suppose so-"  
Virgil clapped his hands together. "Great! Then it's settled. Thanks for accepting the offer and I look forward to working with you in the arena."

As Virgil and the girls strolled off, Rowena leaned over. "You know, I don't trust that kid as throw as I can throw him. I don't mind joining the alliance, but you can tell where my loyalties lie."  
"Of course. Let's make District 4 loyalty a thing and watch each other's backs. And if that group ever self destructs..."

Rowena smirked. "We'll be ready."

* * *

 _Shana Trine, 17_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

It was hard not to feel like uncomfortable here. No matter where I went, I was surrounded by weapons. Knives, swords, spears, bows, maces, axes...and the dreaded machete. The kind of tool we used to slaughter pigs back home. The kind of tool I'd run into the night with and bring back home the next morning, coated in blood.

Instead, I just hung out at survival stations. It was hard to hurt anybody there. Plus, some of the stuff was actually interesting. I would learn how to start a fire or build a trap. Then, my mind would immediately go back to the machete and I ran off before I broke down crying in front of someone. I didn't want anybody to know. I didn't want pity. I didn't want to be stared at in sympathy or compassion or all those other emotions I didn't deserve.

Getting close was scary. As nice as it was to have someone to confide in, it was also risky. I knew for a fact I couldn't trust myself around any one of these tributes. I couldn't even trust myself! What would happen if I did kill someone in the arena!? Could I actually do it!? It wasn't so different from animals...was it?

Sitting on a bench at the back of the room, I felt glad training was almost over. Nobody else was sitting down. Nearby, the boy from 2 was showing off as he whipped an axe around, burying the blade in a dummy's chest. I looked away.  
To my right was an obstacle course referred to as "The Gauntlets" by the trainers. One of the younger boys, the new District 11 male, was running across. He finished in a decent time, then collapsed on the bench beside me, panting.

I quickly slid to the end of the seat, hoping it was obvious I wanted nothing to do with him. _Don't look at me. Don't come my way. Please._  
That did me no good. "Oh...hi! You're Shana, right?"  
I felt a small pit in my stomach. "Um...y-yes?"

"OK, cool. I'm Thames, by the way. I think you all know about me, though."  
I just nodded. By now, Thames must've sensed how uncomfortable I was. He opened his mouth to say something, before he was cut off by someone yelling his name. The voice belonged to Brady from 12, who was waving his arms excitedly, trying to catch our attention.

Thames quickly got up. "Well, better go see what he wants. Bye Shana."

I said nothing. Instead, I just lowered my head. My vision blurred and tears began to form in the corners of my eyes. I blinked once, twice, then just gave up. Down the salty droplets fell, soaking my pants and the floor.

All I could think was the upcoming week, and what kind of monster I would be by then.

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Career-ish:_ Leonidas, Desdemona, Challis, Victoria.

 _Smol Bean Squad:_ Christopher, Thames, Brady.

 _Strong Peeps Squad:_ Axis, Bravo, Rowena, Virgil, Nicolyn.

 _District 4 Loyalty:_ Bravo, Rowena.

 _Bad Romance:_ Seine, Kyliana.

 _Someone Give This Girl A Hug:_ Shana.

 _Loners/Unconfirmed:_ Mark, Brynnelle, Zeke, Nestor, Everleigh, Paisley, Eagle, Gaya, Josie.

* * *

 **So, a few new alliances have formed, and some old ones got bigger! What do you think of our current alliances?**

 **Also, new poll on my profile, but it doesn't really have anything to do with the story. It's just about something I might do in the future and I want to see if it would interest anyone. If you want to vote, go ahead.**

 **Hope you liked this chapter, and stay tuned for the next day of training!**


	24. Training Day 3: Hunters

**Yay, almost done the training chapters!  
**

* * *

 _Leonidas Argyris, 18_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

There was no doubt that I was in a very strong alliance. I had seen Victoria's work with javelins, and what Challis could do with a mace. I knew a lot about fighting myself, from throwing punches to wrestling with opponents. That just left Desdemona, but I had seen her training with spears and she seemed to be getting the hang of things pretty quickly.

"Whatcha doing here?" Challis asked, peeking over my shoulder as I dragged my fingers across the electronic table. "Edible plants?"  
"Just for the heck of it," I muttered. "What do you want?"  
Challis shrugged. "Nothing. Just checking up on my allies. Okay, but for real, Victoria wants to discuss targets."

"Targets?"  
"Yeah. You know how when we launch, and how there's the Cornucopia...and we all get into a big rush for supplies? And someone usually ends up dying? Claymore calls it a bloodbath. And Victoria wants to know who we plan to target during that."

Challis did have a point. It did make sense to eliminate some of our strongest competitors right off the bat. "Who is she thinking of?"  
"She's definitely after the pair from 9. They have a huge alliance going on. And that means they're our biggest competition. Weaken them, and we've got this in the bag. Nobody else stands a chance."

I rolled a small berry between two fingers. "I have to agree with that. And it would be nice to just coast through the Games without any worries at all. But it sounds way to good to be true."  
Challis shrugged. "Well, that's how Victoria presented it to me. Maybe she hasn't worked out all the minor kinks or something."

I frowned. Victoria and Challis weren't bad, but I wasn't ready to give them all my trust yet. And the fact that Victoria was making plans without consulting any of us didn't sit well with me. Well, I could always give her the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully, she wasn't lying.

I despised liars.

Putting the berries down, I turned my body to face Challis. He may have been taller, but it was clear I was the bigger person; nobody would ever take him seriously with a goofy smile like that.

"Here's my two cents. We let nobody out of our sight. Nobody. We study every single tribute we come across. Study them hard. Then, we'll discuss it over at lunch. You may think that girl from 10 is no big deal because she's quiet, but what have the past Victors taught us? You can't trust the quiet ones. You simply can't. If we're gonna pick targets, we're gonna need every last bit of info we can get and make a decision from there."

"Hmmm..." Challis looked like he was considering my words. "You know, you have a point. I'll pass the message on to Victoria."  
"Good idea." I gave my ally a clap on the back. "Now go swing some axes around."

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

Like usual, I sat next to Axis at lunch. Her alliance originally wanted to sit with her, but she politely declined to keep me company.

It would've been nice to have an alliance. But from what I could tell, nobody was going to approach me unless I approached them. And that was hard. Not that I hated talking to people or anything, but...I would've preferred it if someone came to me first. So many of these tributes were bigger and louder...how would I talk to them without looking like a complete fool?

There was also the elephant in the room; nobody wanted to ally with a deaf tribute. In most people's eyes, I was nothing but deadweight. The hearing aid did make things a little better, but only a little. I still couldn't hear out of me left side. And that probably drove everybody away.

I chewed on a piece of roast beef, while Axis rummaged through a bread basket. Occasionally, she'd glance around. Too busy eating, we kept quiet until I felt someone elbow my shoulder.  
"Hey..." she whispered. "The girl from 12 is sitting behind us...and she keeps staring at you."

"Huh?" I turned around, making eye contact with Josie. She looked absolutely startled and quickly lowered her head.  
I swiped a hand across my face, in case I had anything on it. Maybe Josie was staring at that.  
Axis chuckled. "Oh don't be silly, Mark. I think you might've tickled her fancy."

"That's quite a stretch."  
"Well, why don't you ask her about it, then?" Axis gave me a nudge. "You might even get a chance to make an ally."  
"I'm not good at that...can you do it?"  
"I already have an alliance. Don't worry, Mark. It wouldn't hurt to make some conversation."

After lunch, I spotted Josie working at the traps stations. I carefully made my way over, until I was standing right in front of her. "Um...hi. I'm Mark."  
Josie muttered something under her breath, but I didn't catch it at all. Instead, I took a deep breath.

"So...I'm sorry to bother you, but...I was wondering-"  
"No."  
"What was that?"

Folding her arms, Josie glared up at me. "I said no. I don't want to ally with you."  
My face began to burn. _Why did I think this was a good idea?_ "I...well...okay...sorry for bothering you, then."  
"Fine. Now go away."

I quickly hurried off. But I still felt as if Josie was still staring at me.

* * *

 _Brynnelle "Brynn" Levitt, 15_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

As I approached her station, a trainer waved at me. "Hey there! Back so soon?"  
"Yes," I muttered, picking up a bow and a quiver. While I had been focusing on survival skills for the most part, learning a weapon was important too, so I chose the bow. Very few tributes came over here anyways.

I notched the arrow in and carefully pulled the string back. Keeping myself steady, I eyed the target...and fired. The arrow sailed through the air and hit the left side of the target I was aiming for. Not a direct bullseye, but still pretty far in.  
I smiled to myself. Now that I had a bit of experience with using a bow, this was starting to get easier. I picked up a second arrow and tried again.

THWACK!

This arrow landed almost opposite of my first shot. I had been aiming more towards the right, but I hadn't expected my shot to go that far. That was something I would need to work on.  
I picked up a third arrow, taking my time to focus my aim. I tried not to let the arrow point too far in one direction. just keep it in the middle. Nice and easy.  
 _Nice and easy..._

It was one thing to watch the weapons fly in the broadcasts and see the fights occur. But picking up a weapon and actually learning how to use it...it was another thing entirely. In a way, it was kinda exciting. This was never something they could teach me in school.

On the other hand, it was also unnerving. When trying to fire the arrows while imagining the targets to be tributes, I got a really strange feeling. I felt like I wasn't really...Brynn. Not Brynn the daughter. Or Brynn the sister. No, I felt like none of those nice Brynns. I felt more like Brynn the District 5 tribute.

Instantly, my mind drifted to home I left behind, where Mom and Olivia were waiting. Olivia...what would happen if she was the one who got Reaped? What was she thinking right now, knowing where I was? Was she doing okay? Olivia didn't have a lot of friends, simply because she was different. Saw the world differently.

My hand slipped and the arrow lazily flew through the air, barely making the edge of the target. I cursed quietly to myself, then reached into the quiver for another arrow. Empty. Quickly, I put the bow down, then retreated to a nearby rack filled with arrows. grabbing a handful, I stuffed them into my quiver and walked back to my spot, ready to shoot again.

* * *

Kyliana Carter, 15  
District 7 Female Tribute

* * *

 _Tsk tsk, tsk, tsk..._

Seine's eyes narrowed in concentration as she rubbed the wooden pole between her hands. I crouched next to her, ready to add some more kindling if needed. Finally, a little trail of smoke appeared and wafted upwards, dancing wildly.  
Seine gave me a tired smile. "We're doing it!"

I nodded and tucked some wood shavings into the pile. Seine continued the rub the pole against her hands. Gradually, more and more smoke drifted out until we were able to generate a few sparks. Finally, the kindling caught on fire and began to burn.

I sat back. "We did it."  
Seine nodded. "Yeah. Took us a while, but we finally did."

I tossed a stick into the fire, watching it grow slightly bigger. Suddenly, the sound of scuffling boots could be heard behind us.  
It was the kid from 10. Eagle. He just stood there awkwardly, looking more and more nervous as the flames continued burning. "Um...aren't you gonna put that out?"

"Oh." I reached for a bucket of water beside me, then dumped the contents all over the fire. "I'm sorry about that."  
"It's fine. Oh, where are my manners? I'm Eagle!"

Seine leaned in closer. "I'm Seine. From District 6. This is my...ally. Kyliana."  
"So, you two are allied? oh, that's cool! I've been looking for some allies myself, and I was wondering if we could go as a trio?"  
I didn't see a problem with that. "Sure. The more the merrier...right?"

Eagle nodded, sitting down beside me. Seine just latched onto my arm. We set up some wood and I began spinning the pole in my hands. I did offer Eagle a chance to try, but he politely refused. However, once I finally got a few sparks going, he backed away slightly, almost as if he was trying to hide behind us.

The atmosphere felt casual and relaxed. I couldn't help but enjoy myself a little. It was nice to be part of a smaller group, one where I actually got along with my surrounding peers. I felt rather comfortable around Seine, and Eagle wasn't bad company. Of course, this couldn't last forever and soon, we'd all be at each other's throats. So who could blame me for enjoying the peace while it lasted?

* * *

 _Finalized Alliances:_

 _Career-ish:_ Leonidas, Desdemona, Challis, Victoria

 _Smol Bean Squad:_ Christopher, Thames, Brady

 _Strong Peeps Squad:_ Axis, Bravo, Rowena, Virgil, Nicolyn

 _District 4 Loyalty:_ Bravo, Rowena

 _The Three Amigos:_ Seine, Kyliana, Eagle

 _Loners:_ Mark, Brynnelle, Zeke, Nestor, Everleigh, Paisley, Shana, Gaya, Josie

* * *

 **And training is finally over! Next up, we'll have a special chapter detailing the start of a brand new event: scores!**

 **I hope you guys liked this chapter and all the alliances. There are a lot of loners this year, but I've left some of them like that because I have plans. And yes, I will keep all the tributes alive. (Nobody else is gonna die before the Games begin, you can relax, NICOLE!)**

 **Also, there's a poll on my profile. You don't have to vote in it, but it would help me out if you did. Thanks!**


	25. From The Desk Of Taurus Blackman

**Here we are, a special chapter and a special look at what will soon become Private Sessions! I decided to try a different approach at writing this. Hope you like it.**

 **Warning: Slight mentions of torturing animals in Shana's section, though nothing graphic.**

* * *

FROM THE DESK OF TAURUS VENETIUS BLACKMAN

TO: Genevieve Virce

FROM: Taurus Blackman

RE: The 7th Hunger Games Special Report

 _Over the past three days, my Gamemaking team has carefully monitored and observed the training habits of the tributes. Based off of our observations, we have graded and awarded each individual a number from 1 to 12, which will act as a TRAINING SCORE. Tributes can use these scores to judge their competition, as well as pick out targets._

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT IS CONFIDENTIAL.

* * *

NAME: Leonidas Argyris

AGE: 18

DISTRICT: 1

SKILLS ASSESSED: Leonidas was seen working with swords on the first day, showing a preference for a half-sword. On the second day, he showed exceptional wrestling skills. On the third day, he preformed decently with the edible plants test.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Leonidas clearly has a knack for hand-to-hand combat, which will give him an advantage in more physical fights. However, he may end up in trouble if his opponent attempts to pick him off with a long-ranged weapon. He's also part of arguably the strongest alliance in the Games, though he doesn't seem as trusting of his allies as they are of him. Hopefully, this doesn't cause too many problems.

SCORE: **8**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 2nd

ODDS: 6:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Ask about his family. I've been told there's a history there.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Your smile's really nice, so that's something you've got going for you.

* * *

NAME: Desdemona Montague

AGE: 17

DISTRICT:1

SKILLS ASSESSED: Desdemona spent a lot of time working with edible plants, though she scored only slightly higher on the electronic test than her district partner. She also spent time training with spears, which she seems to prefer as a weapon.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: She's quite the patriot, but a bit of an airhead. Desdemona clearly doesn't understand the situation she's in as well as other tributes do, which will pose some problems. As a matter of fact, it will be hard to take her seriously, unless she starts taking these Games seriously. She may bite the dust around the halfway mark because unless she takes her head out of the clouds, she isn't winning.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 10th

ODDS: 12:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Have her talk about her older brothers and what happened to them. Don't be afraid to make the audience cry.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: I've never seen someone get so distracted by a picture of Arley Dawson.

* * *

NAME: Challis Scorn

AGE: 18

DISTRICT: 2

SKILLS ASSESSED: On the first day, Challis did pick up medical and First-Aid tips from the trainers. Other than that, he showed off his skills with maces and axes.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: He's the one. The loyalist. The lapdog. The one who the President secretly cheers for as we twist the arena whichever way to put the odds in his favour. The only problem? Bipolar disorder. We can get a prescription from his mentor, but we can only place so much medication in the arena. Everything else is already taken care of. He's got the looks, the skills, the loyalty. All he needs to do is win.

SCORE: **10** (Gamemaker Interference)

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 1st

ODDS: 5:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Let him take control. If he's smart, he'll talk up a storm about how loyal he is.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Break a leg, kid.

* * *

NAME: Victoria Mason

AGE: 17

DISTRICT: 2

SKILLS ASSESSED: Victoria worked with a wide range of weapons, such as throwing knives, javelins, daggers, and katanas. She did try a few survival stations out, like fire-making and shelter-building, though did not show much interest in them.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Just like Leonidas and Challis, Victoria clearly has a background in some of the weapons she's using. She also appears to be the unofficial leader of their alliance. However, there is a possibility she may take this role too far and become way too full of herself. She seems like a very sharp and cunning girl, so maybe she can control herself and keep level-headed. Victoria is also very determined, as it is reported she plans to use the Games to elevate herself to fame and riches. Perhaps not as popular as Challis, but a real contender.

SCORE: **8**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 3rd

ODDS: 6:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Sources have reported a negative relationship between Victoria and her stepmom. Use that to hype her up to the crowd.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Cool plan, but what happens if you don't win?

* * *

NAME: Mark Giblet

AGE: 15

DISTRICT: 3

SKILLS ASSESSED: Mark mainly focused on a variety of survival stations, such as shelter-building, fire-making, knots, and foraging. He did learn a bit about using knives on the third day.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Mark could get away with sneaking to victory...if it wasn't for the fact that he's deaf. Now, he's just a dead man walking. He hasn't been approached by any tributes with the offer for an alliance and those he has talked to have turned him down. This could hinder his chances of winning, as nobody is viewing him as a reliable asset. If he's lucky, nobody will view him as a target and he can just wait everyone out. But then again, nobody wins by waiting.

SCORE: **4**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 23rd

ODDS: 35:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: You can probably get away with asking any question, but please don't draw attention to the fact that he's deaf. Kid's not stupid.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: What a shame. You seem like such a sweet boy.

* * *

NAME: Axis LeBouvier

AGE: 17

DISTRICT: 3

SKILLS ASSESSED: Axis never showed much skill at any station, except for throwing knives, where she appeared to spend the most time. She just kept hopping from station to station and trying as much as possible.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Variety is always a good thing, but Axis's lack of experience with most weapons or survival skills with hinder her instead. She seems to be a very likable and charismatic person, so perhaps she can use her social skills to talk her way to victory. She's also got a good alliance she can hide behind. But if Axis wants to make her mark, she needs to show confidence in herself.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 6th

ODDS: 10:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Asking about family is always a safe bet.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: How do you know what edible glitter tastes like!?

* * *

NAME: Bravo Turner

AGE: 15

DISTRICT: 4

SKILLS ASSESSED: Out of all the survival stations, Bravo mainly focused on shelter-building and identifying edible plants. In terms of weapons, he mainly focused on learning about knives.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Bravo seems to be rather overshadowed by his alliance; the only way he really stands out is due to his age. He and Rowena show signs of being closer to and trusting each other more than their allies, though maker her presence known more than him. This is an interesting strategy he's showing, of laying low and pulling the strings from behind the scenes. We're not sure if it will work, but Bravo seems to be doing a good job.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 9th

ODDS: 11:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Ask him where he lies in his alliance.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

* * *

NAME: Rowena Marius

AGE: 16

DISTRICT: 4

SKILLS ASSESSED: Rowena seemed to prefer the survival stations, majority of which she attended with her district partner, Bravo. As for weapons, she spent a lot of time working with spears and has managed to improve her skill.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Rowena appears to be a very popular tribute in the Capitol. Her looks and attitude help her stand out among the other tributes. However, she is a bit egotistical and if her allies are bothered by her, that will cause problems. She may be a good contender for Victor, if she doesn't get too full of herself and can figure out how to weaponize her looks and work with spears.

SCORE: **6**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 4th

ODDS: 10:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: You can probably ask her anything, but don't be afraid to step in bring her down to earth if you need to.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: _Shot through the heart, and you're to blame..._

* * *

NAME: Zeke Beckket

AGE: 16

DISTRICT: 5

SKILLS ASSESSED: In terms of survival stations, Zeke mainly focused on edible plants and climbing. He has shown a preference for long-ranged weapons, as he trained with spears, javelins, celurits and the like. Not much else to add.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: To be honest, Zeke is boring. He hasn't done anything to make himself stand out and every once in a while, I forget he's there. There's probably a method to the madness or he's actively trying to keep a low profile, which I suppose makes sense. But I've seen the reception the past Victors have gotten and nobody cares for a Victor they can't remember anything about.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 18th

ODDS: 20:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Family? I've got nothing.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: If you want to try and stand out, know would be the perfect time to do so.

* * *

NAME: Brynnelle Levitt

AGE: 15

DISTRICT: 5

SKILLS ASSESSED: Brynnelle focused on a large majority of the survival stations, not showing any specific strategy. She seemed to ignore weapons, though the only weapon she did spend any time training with was the bow.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Just like her district partner, Brynnellle hasn't really interested me. She appears to be a very closed-off person, as she has made no attempt to interact with any tributes, even sitting alone during meals. While she is playing it safe, she's not making any sort of impression on the other tributes, whether it be positive or negative. Positive relationships usually mean you have one person who's less likely to kill you. Negative relationships are more fun to watch.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 12th

ODDS: 15:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Ask her about her life in her District.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Moving on...

* * *

NAME: Nestor Barde

AGE: 14

DISTRICT: 6

SKILLS ASSESSED: I have no clue what stations Nestor visited, because he visited a lot. Fire-building, climbing, hand-to-hand combat, a lot of the heavier weapons...you get the idea.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Nestor has a **really** bad temper. This is probably what kept anyone from approaching him and doesn't really add to his popularity either. Sure, he's fun to watch, but there's only so much anger the audience can handle. He's not rebellious, which is good for us, but he isn't a very likable person. He might not get targeted, because nobody wants to be anywhere near him, but his violent tendencies still make him someone to watch out for.

SCORE: **6**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 14th

ODDS: 16:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Don't push him to answer questions if he doesn't want to or expresses discomfort. We can't afford another accident.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: In this situation, I would say violence is a pretty acceptable answer.

* * *

NAME: Seine Hopper

AGE: 16

DISTRICT: 6

SKILLS ASSESSED: The only station Seine worked with individually was the crossbow station. Every other stations, which were mainly survival stations, she worked on with her allies. She appears to be detail-oriented, but not very focused.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: A background check indicates that recently, Seine has been going through mood swings. It is unknown why and she doesn't use medication or anything to control it. This could put her at a disadvantage, as acting without thinking usually has pretty disastrous results in the Games. She also seems to be a talkative person, though hopefully she knows to keep her mouth shut when the time is right.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 17th

ODDS: 18:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Try asking her about her life in District 6, but don't be afraid to change topics if she gets too carried away.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Crossbows are always a fun weapon.

* * *

NAME: Everleigh McArvin

AGE: 16

DISTRICT: 7

SKILLS ASSESSED: Everleigh spent a bit of time working with edible plants and tried out several of the long-ranged weapons. She hasn't shown any interesting weapon skills, though she can decently throw an axe.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Everleigh is definitely making history as the first transgender tribute, and has gained a lot of popularity with Panem's LGBT communities. She is rising in popularity, which helps her stand out against her competitors. However, she doesn't seem to be playing a very strong social game, almost having a hard time interacting with others. It's been assumed by several doctors here that she shows signs of Asperger's, though she has yet to receive an official diagnostic.

SCORE: **4**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 21st

ODDS: 25:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Try asking open-ended questions and let her take her time answering. Do not push to talk about anything she's not comfortable with.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Perhaps the encouragement will push you to succeed?

* * *

NAME: Kyliana Carter

AGE: 15

DISTRICT: 7

SKILLS ASSESSED: Kyliana spent a little bit of time of each of the survival stations. She also tried a few agility courses, such as the Gauntlets. There were a few weapons she tried out, though her main focus seems to be knives.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Kyliana has a very sturdy alliance and pretty positive relationships, though I still have my suspicions, now that Eagle's joined them. . She's a very quiet girl, which doesn't help her out much in terms of standing out. If Kyliana is trying to sneak her way to victory, then she isn't doing a bad job. She also seems kinda oblivious to Seine's...flirting? Is that what these kids to these days?

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 13th

ODDS: 15:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: She might not open up right away, so give her some time. Ask about her relationship with Seine.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: You don't have to be a follower all the time. If you want to lead, then do it.

* * *

NAME: Christopher Belmont

AGE: 12

DISTRICT: 8

SKILLS ASSESSED: On the first day, Christopher spent a lot of time working at the camouflage station. Like pretty much everyone else, he spent quite a bit of time with survival stations, though he did attempt to try and use daggers.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: As one of the youngest tributes here, Christopher is obviously at a disadvantage, as he's not as physically developed. I'll admit that his alliance is very cute, so that will attract them attention and popularity. But Brady appears to be more talkative, while Thames is a very mysterious kid. As for Christopher, he's just...there. And as for whether or not he stands a chance, i don't think the odds are that much in his favour.

SCORE: **4**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 24th

ODDS: 30:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Ask him about his home life.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: I knew we should've added more pink flowers in the arena!

* * *

NAME: Paisley Weftin

AGE: 16

DISTRICT: 8

SKILLS ASSESSED: Paisley spent most of her time focusing on...surprise, surprise...survival stations. The one weapon she practiced with was the spear.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Paisley is playing a very safe strategy, by putting most of her attention on survival skills, learning how to use only one weapon, and not getting too close to any tributes. This could work in her favour, as nobody will be too bothered to try and take her out. She appears to be very set in her strategy, not letting anything deter her from it. While it's always good to have a solid plan, the ability to adapt is important too.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 11th

ODDS: 13:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Talk with her about her strategy.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Don't forget about Plan B.

* * *

NAME: Virgil Gallo

AGE: 17

DISTRICT: 9

SKILLS ASSESSED: Virgil stopped at least once at every single station, not focusing on a single weapon or survival skill in particular. I'll give him credit because I have no clue how he found the time to do that.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Virgil appears to be acting as the leader of the biggest alliance, in the Games, which comes with benefits and drawbacks. While there's safety and security in numbers, this makes them likely targets. Virgil does have some strength to him, he seems to be relying more on his allies. There's a lot of pressure the leader must face; let's see if Virgil can live up to those expectations.

SCORE: **6**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 7th

ODDS: 11:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Talk about his alliance and their strategy.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: There's a lot of you in that alliance, huh?

* * *

NAME: Nicolyn Vargas

AGE: 16

DISTRICT: 9

SKILLS ASSESSED: Nicolyn mainly focused on survival station dealing with flora and fauna, as well as learning how to shoot arrows.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: A background check indicates Nicolyn has shown a lack of respect to authority like Peacekeepers, so we should keep an eye on her, in case anything happens. She acts in a very harsh and rude manner sometimes, but maybe being a bit of a spitfire will attract an audience? I find it interesting how she acts more or less as Virgil's right-hand man, though it's probably a district loyalty thing.

SCORE: **8** (Gamemaker Interference)

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 8th

ODDS: 25:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES:Talk about her home life and maybe we can figure out why she's so mean to Peacekeepers.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Don't try anything funny.

* * *

NAME: Eagle Roseworth

AGE: 16

DISTRICT: 10

SKILLS ASSESSED: The only survival station Eagle worked on was foraging. He showed a lot of interest in long-ranged weapons, particularly spears.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Here's our biggest problem. The son of rebels. We need to keep an eye on Eagle at all times, because we can't risk anything. So far, he hasn't participated in any suspicious activity, but I'm not convinced he isn't a threat. Plus, I'm pretty sure the President would let him survive for so long anyways.

SCORE: **12** (Gamemaker Interference)

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 15th

ODDS: 50:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Ask him about his views on the Capitol.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Watch your back, buddy.

* * *

NAME: Shana Trine

AGE: 17

DISTRICT: 10

SKILLS ASSESSED: Shana spent almost all her time at the survival stations, mainly sitting alone and crying. I noticed how she openly avoided weapons, such as knives and machetes.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: A background check indicates a history of torturing and killing animals, so we need to watch out for Shana as well. She isn't a rebel, but she might not be fully sane either. She seems to be hiding her skills, maybe so she won't be targeted? Still, we need to at least check in on her, as I know for a fact having a mentally unstable Victor probably won't end well.

SCORE: **8** (Gamemaker Interference)

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 5th

ODDS: 15:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Ask simple questions, like what her favourite colour is. Avoid mentions of animals.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: What did those poor animals ever do to you!?

* * *

NAME: Basileon Fungo (President Snow said it's mandatory to fill out a form for ALL tributes)

AGE: 13

DISTRICT: 11

SKILLS ASSESSED: N/A

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: N/A

SCORE: **0** (did not participate in training)

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: N/A

ODDS: N/A

INTERVIEWER NOTES: N/A

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Yes, I have no clue what happened. We've been going through security footage, interviewing witness, doing everything we can do. It's probably best to keep quiet about the incident and watch out for any unusual behaviour from other tributes.

* * *

NAME: Thames Williams (Basileon Fungo's replacement)

AGE: 13

DISTRICT: 11

SKILLS ASSESSED: Thames spent a lot of time with his allies, doing daggers with Christopher, and fire starting with Brady, responsibly putting the fire out after Brady managed to burn his arm.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Thames is an interesting case, as we know nothing about him. I sent one of my Gamemakers to do a background check and collect files, but he came up empty-handed. And to be honest, we're not even sure if he is from 11, as there's no information about him. We're going to watch Thames very closely, so we can see who he really is.

SCORE: **6** (Gamemaker Interference)

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 19th

ODDS: 22:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Ask him about everything. Family life, history in 11, what he likes to do, about his strategy and allies. Get as much as dirt as possible.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Who even is this kid!?

* * *

NAME: Gaya Westbay

AGE: 15

DISTRICT: 11

SKILLS ASSESSED: Fir the first two days, Gaya only focused on survival stations. On the third day, she attempted to shoot an arrow and throw a knife, though she works better with knives.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Gaya appears to be playing it safe, with how she prioritizes survival skills over weapons. She also hasn't made any attempts to find allies. While she has a very solid strategy, it's okay to take a risk every once in a while. There's also the fact a few other tributes are following a similar strategy, making it harder for Gaya to make an interesting impression.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 20th

ODDS: 22:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: You could probably talk with her about anything, I guess.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Your strategy's kinda boring.

* * *

NAME: Brady Griffith

AGE: 12

DISTRICT: 12

SKILLS ASSESSED: Brady was rather impressive on the agility course and favoured survival stations such as edible insects, camouflage, and shelter-building. It is worth noting that he accidentally cut himself while using throwing knives and burnt his arm while attempting to start a fire.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Brady appears to be a very clumsy kid, which does put him at a psychically disadvantage if he's more likely to stab himself instead of his opponent. What he lacks in strength, he makes up for in cuteness. That would easily get the audience on his side. He's also smaller, which means he could easily hide from oncoming threats. Hopefully, he isn't too loud and ends up giving himself away.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 22nd

ODDS: 30:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: Talk with him about his family and friends.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: You should stay away from pointy things.

* * *

NAME: Josie Doyle

AGE: 14

DISTRICT: 12

SKILLS ASSESSED: The only survival station Josie focused on was edible plants. She ran the agility course a few times and was seen using some lighter weapons.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT: Josie comes off as somewhat hostile, based off the way she interacted with Mark when asked about allying. She may not come off as very likable, and she seems perfectly okay with that. I think she might have a fighting chance, though it's worth noting that she did not work with as many survival stations as most tributes.

SCORE: **5**

PREDICTED PLACEMENT: 16th

ODDS:16:1

INTERVIEWER NOTES: You could try talking Games strategy, though don't push anything. She might snap.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Most of the Victors won by not acting nice. You may be onto something.

* * *

 **Ack! Why is this chapter so long!?**

 **So, in earlier Games, I thought it would be cool if training scores were based what a tribute did for three days, not fifteen minutes. Of course some scores are higher than they should be...for special reasons.**

 **Just letting you know, I'll be camping for all of next week, and won't have access to any electronics or Internet, so I'll update OLS with the interviews when I get back. Hope you guys liked this new style, and I'll see you after camp!**

 **Estimated number of chapters until the Bloodbath: 3**


	26. The Interviews: Sparkle and Shine

**Thank you all for over 200 reviews! I finally got to read them all now that I'm back from camp and somewhat rested. I enjoyed my week, though I did get attacked by the mosquitoes and horseflies. Ouch. And that's not even the craziest thing that happened!  
**

 **Interview time! And one less chapter until the Bloodbath! Yikes!**

* * *

 _Alexander Snow, 14_  
 _Son of President Sterling Snow_

* * *

Once I had gotten dressed, I glanced at the clock. We were supposed to leave in seventeen minutes. I still had time.

Flopping onto my bed with my favourite sketchbook, I opened up to the latest page and continued writing. I loved writing. My latest story was about four teenagers who were trapped in a freezing forest and had to rely on each other for survival. My siblings thought it was cool. Dad agreed, though he would always ask me what was wrong with writing about politics. Ugh, seriously? No offense Dad, but politics are _booooooring._ Besides, everyone knew that Zachariah was gonna be the President someday and not me. Why should I care?

Speaking of Zachariah, he poked his head into my room. "Hey, kiddo. Dad says we're leaving now."  
"Give me five more minutes."  
"Okay...if you wanna get left behind...and miss all the fun-"

I sat up and tossed the sketchbook aside. Zachariah patted my hair back and fussed over my tie, before we joined the rest of the family downstairs. Tonight was the Tribute Interviews. Dad said he was going to attend for special purposes. Coriolanus and I managed to wear him down into bringing us. Why not? The Games were super cool! Plus, I needed to know a little about each tribute, in case one of them was the Victor and they would hire me to write their autobiography someday.

For some reason, my brothers and I were all wearing matching white suits. Theodora got lucky, though her silver dress was so shiny, it hurt to stare at for too long. Dad nodded in approval, then ushered us into a limo waiting outside.  
The ride was really quiet. Dad seem kinda worried, acting as if he had forgotten his kids were there. Once we arrived, he told us where our seats were and walked off.

As it turned out, we were sitting on a giant balcony overlooking the stage. All the lights were off, but I could make out the stage and a bunch of people in fancy clothing scrambling to get to their seats. Everyone was wearing dresses or suit, some of which came in questionable colours. Like, who the hell wears neon pink!? We should have you executed for that alone!

"This is boring!" Coriolanus groaned. "When are the interviews starting?"  
"Be patient!" Theodora hissed. I rolled my eyes. My older sister was so bossy.

Finally, Dad arrived and a spotlight appeared on stage. It shone down onto the Master of Ceremonies, Genevieve Virce. She was wearing a simple pink ballgown, and her dark hair was a lot shorter than last year. That was a bit disappointing. Genevieve always looked better with longer hair.

"Welcome to the Hunger Games!"

* * *

 _Genevieve "Gene" Virce, 31_  
 _Master of Ceremonies_

* * *

This was always my favourite part of my job. What a beautiful crowd. What a beautiful night!

Everybody was cheering and screaming. In a balcony overlooking the audience, I caught the President's youngest son, eight year-old Coriolanus Snow, waving at me. I blew a kiss in his direction and the smile on his face got even bigger. Hundreds of young men in the crowd, assuming that kiss was for them, started waving and yelling my name.

I sat down in one of the two chairs behind me, microphone in hand. The noise had died down and it was time to proceed with the Interviews. "Thank you, thank you. I love you guys too. But we have quiet the batch of tributes to meet this year, so what do you say we bring them in! First up on the roster...it's Desdemona Montague!"

Desdemona floated onto the stage in a pale pink dress full of ruffles and fluff. If I didn't know any better, I would've assumed she was 14 or 15 instead of 17.

"Hello, Des. Can I call you Des? But I must say, you look so adorable!"  
The girl beamed. "Really? Thank you!"  
"Have you been enjoying your time in the Capitol?"  
"Oh...have I! This place is so amazing! I wish I got to see more...maybe when I get back? But I truly understand why my brothers would die to save the Capitol and all the fashionable citizens who live here..."

At the mention of her dead brothers, a ripple of discomfort spread throughout the crowd. I quickly thanked Desdemona for her time and shook her hand as she excitedly left the stage. Her district partner, Leonidas, was clearly going for a different angle. His silver suit looked extremely tight, as if it was a layer of skin. I tried to give him a smile, but he didn't seem interested in returning it.

"So, Leonidas, want to talk about your family? Friends? More-then-friends? Certainly, a guy like you has to have someone special back home." I lightly punched his arm.  
Leonidas nodded. "Yeah, I've got a girlfriend. Her name is Joanna and I love her. There's my partner in crime, Nikolai. And...my little brother, Theseus."

"Are they the ones you're fighting to get home to?"  
"Of course. And I will do whatever it takes to get home to them."

Victoria was up next. Her white floor-length dress was covered with a golden floral design, the same colour as most of her makeup. She carried herself with an aura of confidence, not to the least bit bothered by the bright lights or the crowd.

"Hello there, Victoria! Aren't you beautiful. Now, I'm sure everyone has one question in mind, why did you choose to volunteer?"  
"Well...I volunteered to win! Duh! There's a lot of riches and fame I can earn from winning to help out my family, so I believe that these Games are worth it."  
"Tell us more about your family!"

"Well...there's my dad. We get along pretty well. I have a half-sister and a half-brother. They can be annoying, but then again, they're just kids. And then there's my stepmother..." Victoria tensed up slightly. "...and that's it."

Challis was up next. The crowd screamed in delight as he ran onto the stage. His outfit was rather simple, just a black suit and tie. He had a goofy smile on his face.

"What a warm reaction. I think the crowd really likes you!"  
"I like me too!" Challis flexed and everyone went nuts. "Okay, but serious time now. I'm really glad to be here."  
"You are?"

Challis nodded. "Of course I am. The Capitol has always meant a lot to me and I am honoured to act as your dedicated servant and loyal slave. I will go into the Game and do my best, not only for myself, but for the Capitol as well. Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever."  
Challis ended his speech with a salute, causing the audience to clap loudly. They were still applauding as he left and Axis arrived.

Axis strode on in a poofy violet dress. Her hair was flowing down her back. She seemed a bit uncertain at first, but upon arriving, she planted a huge smile on her face.

"So, Axis, care to tell us about your life back in 3?"  
"Well...it's pretty typical. I've got my mom, my dad, my younger sister and brother. I love them all so much! Also, my mom was originally from 4 and my dad from 1, but that's not important." Axis let out a small laugh.  
"Really?"

"Crazy, I know. But these are the people I'm fighting to get back for. Don't treat me like I'm the pretty princess from 3. And...don't count me out just yet."  
I patted her on the shoulder. "I guarantee I won't."

Mark was up next. He quickly slipped in the chair, rather unfazed by the noise of the crowd. He wore a black suit, with a red shirt underneath. His brown shoes didn't go with the rest of his outfit, but I decided not to comment on that.

"Hi there, Mark! Have you been enjoying your time in the Capitol?"  
"...what? Oh...I...yes?" Mark began to blush.  
"Sounds great! How about District 3? What happens there?"  
"Um...I l-like fas-fashion. And d-designing-" Mark's cheeks grew even redder as he began stuttering even more. I just nodded in reply.

Rowena strutted onto the stage with a gorgeous floor-length gown. It was purple too, but a much lighter shade. She straightened herself up in the chair, blowing a few kisses to the crowd, causing several younger members of the audience to swoon.

"Don't rile them up too much, honey. That's my job!"  
Rowena just smirked. "Oh really? You wanna bet on it, sweetheart?"  
"Oh, you're on, Marius."  
We both laughed and Rowena smacked my arm. "I like you. You're funny."

Bravo casually strolled into the spotlight next, picking some lint off of his tuxedo. It was a dark blue with red accents. Most of his hair had been slicked back, with the exception of a few untamed curls.

"Bravo, I hear you've got quite the sturdy alliance going on."  
Bravo shrugged. "Yes. I guess you can say that."  
"Care to tell us some more?"  
"Well, why don't you ask my allies then?"

And that was that. I tried to ask Bravo more questions, but he kept giving evasive answers. After him was Brynnelle. She was wearing a lovely crimson ballgown, with her swept up into a bun on top of her head. I gestured to her dress, then mine. "Hey, we're wearing the same dress!"

Brynnelle nodded. "Cool."  
"What was your life like back in 5? You wanna talk about your friends? Family?"  
"Well, I've got my parents. And my little sister, Olivia. She's my best friend."  
"Awww, how cute!"  
Brynnelle gave me a small smile. "Yeah."

Zeke was wearing something similar; a neat red suit. He gave me a shy smile as he sat down.

"Hey there Zeke! What do you wanna talk about?"  
"Dunno."  
"How about...your family? Got any siblings? Do you get along with them?"  
"...yeah..."  
"Alright. Great talk."

Seine walked on the stage in a knee-length sleeveless purple dress, with black high-heel sandals, and a spring in her step.

"Why, don't you look adorable. So, Seine, what do you like to do for fun?"  
"Well, I really love art! Drawing, painting, all that stuff. When I'm not training, I'm drawing in my room. I actually have a sketch of all the Victors, and one of my ally-" Seine began to blush.  
"That's nice, sweetheart. When you get back, you absolutely have to show me all your work!"  
Seine was still grinning, but I could tell it was forced. "Yes...that would be nice."

Nestor was a completely different story. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his black suit and he was scowling. His hair had been gelled back; that was impressive, since he probably punched his prep team if they got too close.

"Hey there Nestor! Enjoying your time in the Capitol?"  
Nestor just glared at me.  
"Uh...okay, sounds good. how about-"  
"How about I punch your face in!?" Nestor hissed. "I hate this stupid, scratchy suit. The lights are so annoying! You know, screw this! I don't wanna be here!"

With that, Nestor stormed off and the interview was over. Kyliana was a lot more quiet, though she kept tugging at the bottom of her dress. When she got closer, I realized that the dress was the dark pink version of what Everleigh wore during the Parade.

"How's your alliance doing, Kyliana?"  
"Oh, I'd say we're pretty good. Seine and I really get along. Eagle tells us jokes sometimes. He's a funny guy."  
There were a few whispers and disgusted looks surrounding the name Eagle, but I ignored them. "That's good! I wish you three the best of luck in the arena!"  
"Thanks," Kyliana muttered softly.

The crowd started clapping and cheering as Everleigh appeared. She had on a metallic pink jump suit with a crop top underneath. Shyly waving to the audience, Everleigh quickly sat down next to me.

"That's quite the reaction you've got there, young lady!"  
Everleigh grinned. "Thanks."  
"So...I mean, if you don't mind, but...why don't you tell us a bit more about yourself?"

Everleigh took a deep breath. "My parents and my older sister have always been supportive of me. I've known about this myself ever since I was 9 and I felt like...like...I don't know, I didn't feel like my biological self. It's hard to explain. I felt like something different. And when I finally figured it out, I told my family and they agreed to help me out. It was a hard process, especially when I began to struggle with anorexia...but I'm better now. I'm happier. I'm happier with my body and with my identity. And...that's it."

The crowd's applause sounded like thunder as Everleigh waved goodbye. Paisley was next, strutting onto the stage in a simple black dress that had teardrops on the bottom with the same pattern as her namesake.

"Why don't we talk about your games strategy, Paisley. What do you have in mind?"  
"Something."  
"Care to elaborate on what that something is?"  
"I'm good."

Up next was Christopher, who excitedly ran onto the stage in a pink jacket with matching slacks. Combing that with the white dress shoes and shoes underneath made it the brightest outfit I had seen all night.

"Look!" Christopher held up his sleeve. "I'm wearing pink too!"  
"I see you must be a huge fan of the colour."  
"I am! It's so pretty! My mom makes me pink clothes all the time. You should her stuff! She's really really good at it!"

Nicolyn appeared onstage next, carefully pulling up on her dress, making it easier to walk. The garment was a beautiful silver and black pattern, and she had matching pearl earrings.

"Nicolyn, why don't you tell us about what you like to do in District 9. Or about your family...friends."  
The girl just stretched; I noticed that Nicolyn's hair was a lot shorter and choppier than when she first arrived in the Capitol. "Eh. Used to have to put of with gangs. Don't worry, I took care of them all. That's what I'm gonna do here."  
"What do you plan to do once you win?"  
"I'm going to go back home and help take care of my family. Put us in a better position. They deserve it after all."

Virgil was wearing a fitting lavender suit that smelled heavily of cologne. His white shirt had been undone, exposing his bare chest underneath. It wasn't easy to focus with all the screaming ladies and the cologne smell, but I managed to put all my attention on him.

"You're quite the confident young man, aren't you?"  
Virgil kicked up his foot and leaned back in the chair, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Yep. I sure am."  
"I hope you have the same level of faith in your alliance."  
"Of course I do! With me leading them...we are destined for great things. Like victory."

Shana was after Virgil, stumbling on the stage nervously in a tight green dress. It fit her rather well, going with the curves of her body.  
"What a nice dress! Do you like green too, Shana?"  
Shana just nodded. She looked like she was on the verge of passing out at any second.  
"What else do you like? Do you have a favourite flower? Favourite food? Favourite animal-"

Suddenly, Shana began hyperventilating. I realized my mistake. "Oh, it's okay, dearie. You don't have to answer if you don't want to-"  
Shana burst into tears. I reached out gently, but she barged past me, running off the stage and away from everything. I turned towards the crowd, still smiling,. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Avoxes running after Shana.

As soon as Eagle made his arrival on the stage, I had a feeling this next interview wasn't going to go well. He was dressed in a gold and white suit, with an eagle symbol sewn onto the breast pocket. He waved hello, but nobody in the crowd seemed interested.

"So...Eagle...think you're ready for the arena tomorrow?"  
Eagle just sighed. "I'll be honest, I don't understand your interest in the Games at all. It's not the cheesy reality show you make it out to be. It's literal slaughter. And I'm ashamed! I thought you were all above murdering innocent souls for entertainment! But clearly, I was wrong!"

Folding his arms, Eagle scowled at the audience. He didn't even flinch as a goblet came flying towards the stage, smashing at our feet and dunking Eagle's suit in red objects were thrown as well. I ducked just in the nick of time as a shoe flew over my head. A Peacekeeper ran to my side, nabbed Eagle, and dragged him away. Everyone was yelling insults at the boy, who was firing his own comments back.

Forcing a smile, I quickly announced the arrival of the next tribute. Gaya was wearing a simple gold dress with long sleeves. She looked rather bored, as if she was already waiting for this interview to be over.

"What's up Gaya? Having a fun stay in the Capitol?"  
"Sure."  
"Anything else you want to add?"  
"No."

Thames was wearing a slightly oversized gray vest over a brown shirt with matching slacks. he didn't seem the least bit bothered by the fact that his clothes were a bit big on him. Obviously, they were never made for him in the first place. Thames looked friendly enough anyways. Maybe I could get him to open up?

"Why don't you tell us about your life, Thames? About your family and friends, what you like to do for fun, that kind of stuff."  
Thames shrugged. "Nothing interesting, really. Had a typical life with my family in 11, went to school, helped out in the orchards sometimes...pretty normal if you ask me."  
"Well...there's gotta be some stories you have! Can you think of one?"  
"Nothing coming to mind right now. Sorry."

 _Well, that went wonderful._

Josie was wearing a tight blue dress that wrapped around her body, though she didn't seem too comfortable.

'Do you have a strategy, Josie? Mind telling us what it is?"  
Josie shifted in her seat. "I'm gonna lay low and keep myself out of trouble."  
"That sounds like a good plan. Any allies?"  
"...no."

Last up was Brady, who ran onto the stage in a blue polo shirt, tan pants, and black dress shoes. He looked so excited, though I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to keep him sitting for a longer than 30 seconds.

"That's quite the energy there! You clearly like running around."  
"I do. Dad never lets me run in the shop, though."  
"My parents never let me do that either. What else do you like to do?"  
Brady grinned. "I like taking care of my dog!"

The interview concluded very quickly after that and it was once again my turn to take the stage. "Well, there you have it folks! The tributes of the 7th Hunger Games! Once again, I'm Genevieve Virce and I'm here to tell you all good night!"

* * *

 **Woo-hoo, interview time! I think these are a lot better than the interviews from RF, since they flow more nicely and kinda feel a bit more realistic.**

 **And now...TIME FOR A CHECK-IN!**

 **Question: Who do you think is going to end up dying in the Bloodbath? Please answer via PM. I suggest using the PM thread from the first check-in, just so it's easier to find. You can name any tributes and as many tributes as you want. (Or, you can pull a Nicole and accuse me of killing everybody off in the Bloodbath, but that's just silly because I'm not THAT mean.)**

 **Number of chapters until the Bloodbath: 2.**


	27. The Final Night: Take A Chance On Me

**I am missing check-ins for the following tributes:**

 **Desdemona Montague**  
 **Challis Scorn**  
 **Mark Giblet**  
 **Axis LeBouvier**  
 **Bravo Turner**  
 **Rowena Marius**  
 **Zeke Beckett**  
 **Brynnelle Levitt**  
 **Nestor Barde**  
 **Seine Hopper**  
 **Everleigh McArvin**  
 **Kyliana Carter**  
 **Christopher Belmont**  
 **Paisley Weftin**  
 **Virgil Gallo**  
 **Nicolyn Vargas**  
 **Eagle Roseworth**  
 **Shana Trine**  
 **Gaya Westbay**  
 **Brady Griffith**  
 **Josie Doyle**

 **The check-in can found in the author's note at the end of Chapter 26. Please submit your answer via PM. Seine, Nicolyn, and Josie are also missing the first check-in, which can be found at the end of Chapter 17.**

* * *

 _Sliver Wirth, 23_  
 _Victor of the 1st Annual Hunger Games and District 8 Mentor_

* * *

The elevator ride was fairly quiet. Christopher had fallen asleep waiting for the interviews to end and was now slung over Christof's shoulder, snoozing away. I wished I could sleep like that. Even if the shock of mentoring had more or less worn off by this point...the last night in the Capitol was always a tense one. By then, the reality had sunken in for the tributes. It was always hard to believe that in just a few hours, they'd be gearing up to fight for their lives. Many of these kids wouldn't survive.

Once the elevator doors opened, Christof headed over to the bedrooms, dumping Christopher onto his bed and closing the door. I sat on a couch in the living room. Paisley disappeared for a few minutes, then came to join me. She was now wearing pajamas.

"You know, you should really go to bed."  
She just shrugged. "I'm not tired."  
"This might be the last time you'll ever get a decent sleep."

"I know." Paisley was staring at my chessboard, which was sitting on the windowsill. "Can we play a game?"  
"...okay. But just one. And then you're off to bed."

Once the board and pawns were set up, the game began. Neither of us really said anything. I was used to playing against Christof, but I decided to go easy on Paisley, giving her opportunities to capture my own pawns when I could've simply taken hers.

A few minutes into the game, Paisley looked up. "Do you think I have a better chance?"  
"At what?"  
"At winning. Do you think I have a better chance than Christopher?"

"I...I don't know, Paisley. What I do know is that you never count anyone out, even if they are a tiny 12 year-old. All tributes have a chance, no matter who they are."  
"So what should I do with mine?" Paisley asked.

"Don't let it slip through your fingers. Don't assume that you have better odds of survival than someone else and get too cocky. Just...whatever strategy you discussed with Christof, use it. Don't be afraid to fight for your life if you need to. Or flee. Sometimes, that's always a better option."

Paisley frowned. "Sounds kinda vague...but I know what you mean."  
"Good. Now go to bed."

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 22_  
 _Victor of the 2nd Annual Hunger Games and District 1 Mentor_

* * *

Personally, I would've preferred not to meet on the rooftop, in case another accident happened. But this was perhaps the most private area in the entire building. No walls, no cameras...although, that might've changed now.

The Capitol had clearly been treating Topaz well; he looked quite snazzy in his new suit and with his hair slicked back. It was as if he was embracing the latest Capitol fashion trends. Perfect. Nobody would suspect a thing.

"Hello, future Head Gamemaker. How are you holding up?"  
Topaz grimaced. "Hey, keep your voice down. But...I think everything's going fine. Someone, not Taurus, did catch me fixing the score, but I convinced them it wasn't a big deal...I think."

We were now standing at the edge of the rooftop. I had to admit, the view of the city was spectacular. The scene was so bright and cheerful, it looked fake. Something was rippling in front of me. I put my hand forward to touch, but quickly drew it back.

Topaz sighed. "They put up a forcefield. Taurus said they can't afford any more accidents."  
"Neither can we."  
"I know...it's a miracle nothing has happened so far. That nothing's screwed up or gone wrong...ugh, I'm jinxing us, aren't I-"  
"You need to have more confidence in yourself. You've been doing great."

The colour returned to Topaz's cheeks. "Thanks."  
"The score it just what we're aiming for. High enough to interest the Capitol, but low enough to keep him from becoming a target. Nobody will remember tomorrow. Just you watch."  
"I'm worried. About tomorrow. What if something goes wrong?"

"I don't blame you. But, he remembers what his job is. He has to. We only have so much influence over what happens in the arena that we're practically leaving him on his own. But let's think positive, okay? The backup plan is only initiated if things get to that point."  
"Okay."

I gave Topaz a smile. "Good. I've got to go now; gotta keep an eye on the tributes. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

 _Claymore Regans, 22_  
 _Victor of the 3rd Annual Hunger Games and District 2 Mentor_

* * *

I thought that sitting through the interviews would tire both the tributes out enough so they would go to sleep once we got back. What I hadn't expected was for a still-hyper Challis to latch onto my arm and ask me for any last-minute tips.

I stifled a yawn. "You could've just asked tomorrow."  
"Yeah, but I'm awake now. So, any advice? Any words of wisdom?"  
"You want words of wisdom? Next time, don't volunteer."

Challis rolled his eyes. "It's a little too late for that, okay? I don't get why you're so worked over my choice anyways. My father trained me for this; I swearI know what I'm doing."

"Because...what did you leave behind, Challis? You've got a family, right? A girlfriend? I know you do, I've seen you walking around the district with her. Wouldn't you have liked to build a future with her, Challis? Loved to settle down with her? Wouldn't you want to see your family again? How will any of that come true if you don't win?"

For a second, Challis's eyes darted away from me. The look on his face faltered. And I could see right past it. Someone else. Another 18 year-old boy for volunteered for the rush of it all, and broke down the night before the arena, realizing what he had done, the mistake he had made, and how he'd never be able to go back.

I looked at Challis and my younger self stared right back at me.

"I..." Challis was stuttering now. "It's...it's a risk I'm willing to take. I come from a family of patriots. We were rewarded greatly by the Capitol for our support, and my...dad...my dad thought there was no better way to repay them to...to...do this. I thought...think it's a great idea. My girlfriend didn't really agree, but...when I win, I'll show her it was for the best. I'll buy her a nice ring, and we can..."

I held up a hand to stop him. "Think of a candle, glowing in the dark. When the flame goes out, you better find a new one. Or else, you'll be swallowed by the cold forever."

Challis gave me a funny look. "That's really poetic. Are those your words of wisdom?"  
"They're words of wisdom from my own mentor, Jasmine."  
"What do they mean?"

I stood up and headed to my own bedroom. "You'll figure them out when the time is right. It's how I managed to win my Games after all."

With Challis still sitting outside, quiet and confused, part of me began to doubt that he'd ever understand.

* * *

 _Arley Dawson, 20_  
 _Victor of the 4th Annual Hunger Games and District 10 Mentor_

* * *

"I'm screwed," Shana whimpered.  
I gave her a look. "What makes you think so?"  
"I...ugh, everything's going to go wrong! I'm going to end up torturing innocent tributes who did nothing to deserve it...and everyone's gonna hate me..."

I glanced over at the kitchen, feeling thirsty. Would anybody judge me if I asked for a glass of wine right now? "If you ask me, I say you have the right idea."  
Shana began to tremble.  
"Arley!" Vermont scolded.

"What!?"  
Shana didn't look any better. She hurried off to her room, head in her hands. Eagle was nowhere to be found, but the door to his room was closed so I had a feeling he was in there.  
"Well, why don't you go talk to her? You're supposed to be the mentor."

I pressed my ear against the door. Nothing. I gave the door a few hard knocks. Shana muttered something that I couldn't hear. Instead of backing away, I pressed my foot against the door and kicked it open. Most of the lights were turned off and Shana lay across her bed, sobbing quietly. Her dress had been messily hitched up and when we finally looked at each other, makeup was streaming down her face.

"Shana...I'm sorry. Come on, you know I didn't mean that comment. I have...a tendency to speak without thinking...and yeah, I say things I don't mean, sometimes...are you okay?"  
"NO!" Shana wailed. "I'm...I'm scared."

I sat down on the bed beside Shana. Slowly, I moved my arm until it was lying next to her. When nothing happened, I reached up and began to pat her hair down. She looked surprised by the touch, but didn't recoil or fight back.

"I'm not good with comforting people...my girlfriend is way better at that. But...I don't think you're a bad person, Shana. Honestly."  
"I don't deserve to live. I'm a monster!"  
"No! No you're not. You're just...misguided. Wait, that's not what I meant! What I'm trying to say is..."

"Leave me alone."

I sighed and stepped outside, closing the door behind me. Tomorrow was not going to go well at all.

* * *

 _Paisley Lomota, 18_  
 _Victor of the 5th Annual Hunger Games and District 9 Mentor_

* * *

Even with both tributes in bed and reassuring me that I was doing a wonderful job at mentoring, I still wasn't convinced. Eventually, Calendria sat me down and told me face-to-face that, "Yes, Paisley, you've been a great help to the tributes. Trust me, they really appreciate the effort."

"I want to help them as much as I can. I want them to live."  
"We both do, sweetheart."

I liked Calendria; she was clearly making an attempt to understand me. But I knew that deep down, she didn't. She never would. Last year, I bawled my eyes out when I lost my tributes. I cried and I cried, stirring up all sorts of emotions around me, from Foxy's look of pity, to Arley's glare of annoyance. Calendria didn't cry. As a matter of fact, she acted like she didn't care. All she told me was that these things happened and we would learn from the past to prepare ourselves in the future.

This year, I had vowed to act better. I would be stronger and hopeful. I would give my tributes every single piece of advice I knew on winning the Hunger Games. I would try separating myself from the tributes a bit...not to avoid growing attached to them, but so they could have some independence. And while I had a feeling I was going to cry if I lost Virgil or Nicolyn...I wasn't going to dwell on it forever. I would take my mistakes to better educate the tributes for next year.

So far, I was failing. I kept getting this nagging feeling that I was a horrible mentor. I had already been caught breaking down over this once, back on the train. I was worried all the time. What if...tomorrow...they were the first to go?

Calendria patted me on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Paisley. You've done enough. They have a great alliance and a solid strategy. I'm certain nothing's gonna happen to them tomorrow."  
"If only it was that easy."  
Calendria took my hand, leading me to the bedrooms. "Why don't you go to sleep? We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Yeah..."

As usual, my dreams were turned into nightmares.

* * *

 _Fjord Hemmings, 19_  
 _Victor of the 6th Annual Hunger Games and District 4 Mentor_

* * *

"I hope we made good impressions," Bravo muttered to nobody in particular.  
"I think you two did," Oscar replied. "The crowd had a pretty good reaction."

Rowena shrugged. "Yeah, but everyone was way more interested in the pair from 10. I could've kissed her! That would get us attention." She giggled and Bravo chuckled.  
"Nobody is kissing anyone tonight." I flopped onto a couch and closed my eyes. "It's late. You guys should go to bed."

"Yes sir," Rowena chirped. I could hear footsteps, then the sound of doors closing. When I finally looked up, Oscar was standing nearby.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"I...I don't know."

Oscar didn't seem surprised. "This isn't an easy task, but you've been handling this rather well. I'm proud of you."  
Too exhausted to hold my tongue, I responded with, "Are you my new father now?"  
"Your own guardians haven't left a positive impression on you, have they?"

I shook my head. "No...I was always the problem child or the go-to punching bag. Just because I was the youngest, just because I never fit the mold like they wanted. And then...they found out I kissed a guy...that didn't end so well. If he wasn't dead already, they would've killed him for sure."  
Oscar sighed. "I know, son. There's a lot of people in this world who refuse to change perspective. And I know you miss him."

I clutched a pillow to my chest. It was one of the brown ones I had brought from home. "I bet he'd hate to see me like this. I'm way too big of a wimp to move on."  
"But...you're taking everything with a stronger mindset than you think. Don't be so hard on yourself, Fjord. And if you ever want to talk, I'm all ears."

"Damn, you are like the dad I've never had."  
Oscar gave me a smile so infectious, I couldn't help but return a tiny grin. "Thanks. I really try."

* * *

 **Nice to visit the mentors again, since the last time we saw them, they were all screaming. Also, I put one or two ABBA references in here because MY MOM AND I SAW MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN AND IT WAS MAGICAL AND I AM IN A VERY ABBA MOOD RIGHT NOW!**

 **While I'd like to get to the Bloodbath before summer ends, I'll be gone for two weeks in August to do some more camping, so I have two choices in update speed. I can either upload chapters weekly, or I can upload the Bloodbath when I get back. Most likely, I'll upload the final chapter before I leave and the Bloodbath when I get back, so that everyone has a chance to catch up on reading/reviewing/check-ins.**

 **Number of chapters until the Bloodbath: 1.**


	28. The Final Morning: Tropical Loveland

**I am missing check-ins for the following tributes:**

 **Desdemona Montague**  
 **Challis Scorn**  
 **Mark Giblet**  
 **Axis LeBouvier**  
 **Bravo Turner**  
 **Rowena Marius**  
 **Zeke Beckett**  
 **Brynnelle Levitt**  
 **Nestor Barde**  
 **Seine Hopper**  
 **Kyliana Carter**  
 **Christopher Belmont**  
 **Paisley Weftin**  
 **Virgil Gallo**  
 **Nicolyn Vargas**  
 **Eagle Roseworth**  
 **Gaya Westbay**  
 **Brady Griffith**  
 **Josie Doyle**

 **The check-in can found in the author's note at the end of Chapter 26. Please submit your answer via PM. Seine, Nicolyn, and Josie are also missing the first check-in, which can be found at the end of Chapter 17.**

* * *

 _Brady Griffith, 12_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

I tried to enjoy my breakfast, but it was hard. Personally, I think that pancakes taste a lot better when you aren't eating them before entering an arena full of teenagers who want to kill you.

Josie was way too busy stuffing her face, so she didn't really talk to me. Then again, she never talked to me unless it was asking me to pass the syrup bottle. I handed it over and watched as she drenched the rest of her pancakes in the sticky, sweet substance. I poured myself some of it, but the syrup was way too sugary and just slid awkwardly down my throat.

We continued eating quietly for a few more minutes, until Carissa appeared. She was still dressed in her pajamas and her eyes were all red, as if she had just been crying.  
Josie didn't seem to care, but I noticed. "Is something wrong?"

Carissa dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. "No no, I'm fine. I swear. It's just...I've had such a great first year with you two...and I know I'm gonna miss you both so much...oh Brady, don't look at me like that! You're gonna make me cry all over again!"  
Part of me felt like crying too. I didn't want to go into the arena. I wanted to stay here. I wanted to stay with Carissa. I wanted to hear how much I meant to her and tell her the same thing in return.

I just didn't want to die.

Carissa sat down in the empty seat next to me. Josie continued to stuff her face, but she looked distracted. We were all eating, but the atmosphere felt slightly grimmer than it did before. The truth of today was now real. All those days I spent training for the arena, making friends with Kit and Thames, hyping up the crowd during an interview...that was complete and utter child's play. During that time, it was easy to pretend I was just in the Capitol for an unexpected visit. Or a fun little game.  
That's what it was.

 _A fun little game..._

Now that I knew I had a very high chance of losing, I didn't want to play anymore.

* * *

 _Gaya Westbay, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

I tugged at a loose thread on my shirt. This was the outfit that had been laid out for me. It was fairly simple, consisting of cargo pants and a brown T-shirt, with the number 11 written in white on both of the pants had all sorts of pockets on them, which I liked.

As we were led into the elevator, I pestered Charlemagne for any last-minute advice. Thames didn't seem too bothered. He just kept to himself, hands in his pockets. His head was down, so I couldn't see his expression. It was amazing he was able to keep so calm. Or maybe, he felt the way I did. Pretending that everything is perfectly fine on the outside, but on the inside, a scared nervous wreck.

In my head, I kept reviewing my strategies over and over. It wasn't exciting, but I would rather be safe and sorry. I couldn't take the risk. Sometimes, a risk wasn't always a good thing. Playing it safe...that seemed like the best bet.

The elevator headed down...then stopped. Waiting outside was a pack of Peacekeepers. One of them grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall. Thames was right beside me. Charlemagne walked a few paces behind us.

Eventually, we were taken through the hall and past a large set of doors that led outside. All sorts of hovercrafts stood around. One of the bigger ones was open, with even more Peacekeepers waiting to escort us in. Upon seeing the craft, my stomach began to churn. I turned to look away and ended up making eye contact with Charlemagne.

"Are you alright?"  
I shook my head. "Scared."  
"I know. But...you'll do fine, Gaya. I've seen what you've done in training. You just stick to the strategy that works best for you, okay?"

I nodded. Charlemagne gave me one last pat on the back, before he stepped back and led the Peacekeepers take control of the situation. We were marched into the hovercraft.

* * *

 _Axis LeBouvier, 17_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

Somehow, Mark and I found ourselves sitting next to each other. As we were strapped in, I reached out for his hand, and gave it a small squeeze. He looked up at me and smiled sadly.

Shana from 10 was on my left side. She looked extremely uneasy and her eyes were red, as if she had spent the night crying. Across from me was Bravo. His face from emotionless, though I could see the uncertainty in his eyes.  
Once all 24 tributes were seated, the hovercraft began to move. The room was dark and the windows were tinted, so I had no clue where we were. But I could feel it. Right before take-off, there was a loud _THUMP_ and the room jolted violently. Mark glanced at me in alarm. Afterwards, I felt as if we had finally taken off and the journey was more peaceful.

There were mixed emotions all around. Seine and Kyliana had fallen asleep, leaning on one another for support. Nestor folded his arms and scowled. Rowena ran her fingers through her hair. Brady began to jiggle his left leg, Brynnelle watching out of boredom or curiosity. Virgil was napping. Challis picked at his nails. Victoria leaned over Paisley, who had her head down, and started whispering to Leonidas. Thames was glancing out the window, even though there was nothing to see.

The silence made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I wanted someone to scream, or cry, or burst out into song, anything just to make noise. Eventually, I got my wish when a door opened and there stood a woman holding a giant needle. She walked over to Christopher at first, who whimpered nervously as she stuck the needle into his left forearm. Soon, she was right in front of me. I felt like shrinking into my seat.

"This is just your tracker," the woman responded, picking up my arm. "We can't afford to sole anymore tributes. Just keep still."  
I did as I was told. The needle didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. In fact, I could hardly tell a tracker had just been injected into my body. The surface of my skin still looked untouched.

Still, the idea of something tracking down my every movement wasn't a happy one. Maybe they wanted to know where to collect my body later?  
I decided to stop thinking about it.

* * *

 _Seine Hopper, 15_  
 _District 6 Female Tribute_

* * *

The bumpy sensation of the hovercraft hitting ground jolted me awake. I sprung up, accidentally knocking my head against Kyliana's. We both stared at each other awkwardly.  
"Sorry," Kyliana whispered.  
"It's okay." I gave her a small grin. She shyly returned it.

Butterflies were dancing in my chest. I wasn't sure if it was from nerves, or being so close to Kyliana. I didn't have time to guess, as Peacekeepers flooded in. One by one, we were yanked from our seats and made to follow the Peacekeepers into a new building with dim lights and narrow halls.

I was brought to a small little room. Opposite from me was a giant see-through tube. I didn't want to think about where it led. I didn't want to know. Before I could think of turning out and running away, the door slammed shut behind me. A few clicks indicated it had been locked from the outside. There was nowhere to run.

Unsure of what to do, I sat down in the only chair in the room, with a little wooden table in front of me. Then, I spread my hands onto the table. There was an urge to draw or doodle something, but I didn't have any paper. Instead, I found myself tracing invisible images on the table with my fingers.

"TRIBUTES!"

Genevieve Virce's loud voice boomed over the loudspeakers, making me jump.

"PLEASE PROCEED INTO YOUR TUBES!"

I glanced uneasily at the hollow tube. A piece of it slid open, waiting patiently for me to step inside. I hurried in, pressing my feet against the metal plate at the bottom.

This is it.

* * *

 _Zeke Beckett, 16_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

As soon as I was in the tube, the nerves kicked in. I felt trapped. Scared.

I never wanted to be here in the first place and now, all I could think about was how much I wanted to go back home. I wanted to see District 5 again. I wanted to see my parents again. I wanted to see my brothers again. I wanted to live the rest of my life where I belonged. I didn't want to die.

 _No._ I began to scold myself in my head. _No! Bad Zeke! You can't afford to be freaking out right now! The only way you're ever gonna get back home is if you survive and win! You have to focus on that._

Focusing was easier said then done.

In an attempt to calm myself down, I tried to conjure some happy memories. Spending a cold night wrapped up in a blanket and surrounded by family. Dad taking me to work when I was younger. Howling and slapping my knee as Quinn told some god-awful joke. Making fun of Francesco's mullet. Falling asleep on Mom's shoulder after a long day.  
"Things will get better," Francesco used to tell me. "And I'm sure tomorrow will be better than today."

Suddenly, I began moving upwards.

"Wait, no!" I slammed my hands against the side of the tube. "Where are you taking me!? Stop it! LET ME OUT!"

My demands went ignored. I frantically scanned the tube for an opening or a weak spot. There was none. If anything, it felt like the tube was closing in one me! I whimpered and slammed my hands against the glass one more time, before everything stopped moving and I was blinded by sunlight.

I was finally in the arena.

* * *

 _Kyliana Carter, 15_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

 _They...they can't be serious._

I had been expected the arena to be a dark and scary place, full of hellish spawns and nightmares around every corner. What I got was a rather pleasant surprise.

We were all lined up in a semicircle before the Cornucopia, which with a bright, shining silver. Behind the giant horn and all its contents, a giant body of water stretched out beyond the eye could see. It looked so blue and perfect, part of me began to wonder if it was real.

There was all sorts of stuff lying out in the sand. Food and rations, packaged neatly. Water bottles standing upright. Sleeping bags, backpacks, tarps, and even a giant black duffel bag lying dead in the centre of everything. A few tributes appeared to be eyeing it already.

I glanced behind me and was met by a forest of trees. Palm trees, that's what they were called. A few bushes grew underneath, some sprouting flowers of various colours. Along the sand, a few rocky areas could be spotted. They seemed like good hiding spots.

To me, the arena was quite beautiful. It didn't seem like a place for children to be forced to fight to the death, but rather a popular vacation spot. I wondered what it must've felt like, to just lie by the waves and feel the Sun's warmth of your skin-

The sound of a robotic voice counting down snapped me out of my thoughts. Above the Cornucopia, there was a floating box containing a number inside of it. A countdown. In just a few seconds, the Games would have officially started and all hell would break loose.

 _10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..._

"LET THE 7TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!"

* * *

 **And bam! Just like that, the Games have begun!**

 **I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger, but I promise you guys that once I get back from camp, I will upload the next chapter. In the meantime, feel free to take the next two weeks off to catch up on reviews or check-ins.**

 **Just to let everyone know...I've chosen my Bloodbath tributes; as a matter of fact, I had the decision made a long time ago. I really am sorry if I've had to kill off your tribute in the Bloodbath; there were a lot of amazing submissions and characters, but somebody needs to be the first to die. Only two of the 24 tributes I accepted were submitted as Bloodbaths, and not everything was an easy choice.**

 **That being said, I already have a bit of the Bloodbath written out and will continue to work on it, so when I get back, I can upload it sooner. I'll see you all in two weeks!**


	29. Day 1: SOS

**I am still missing check-ins for the following tributes:**

 **Desdemona Montague**  
 **Challis Scorn**  
 **Mark Giblet**  
 **Axis LeBouvier**  
 **Rowena Marius**  
 **Zeke Beckett**  
 **Brynnelle Levitt**  
 **Nestor Barde**  
 **Seine Hopper**  
 **Christopher Belmont**  
 **Paisley Weftin**  
 **Nicolyn Vargas**  
 **Gaya Westbay**  
 **Josie Doyle**

 **PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CHECK-IN BEFORE THE READING THE BLOODBATH, AS THIS CHAPTER WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE CHECK-IN!**

 **The check-in can found in the author's note at the end of Chapter 26. Please submit your answer via PM. Seine, Nicolyn, and Josie are also missing the first check-in, which can be found at the end of Chapter 17.**

* * *

 _Leonidas Argyris, 18_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _10...9...8..._

I had been placed directly in the middle of the tributes; the Cornucopia stood right in front of me. As the countdown ticked on, I glanced over at Challis, who was two pedestals from my left. He tilted his head slightly in the direction of the Cornucopia's goodies. I got the message.

The plan had been set a long time ago. Along with Challis and Victoria, I was supposed to run in, grab a weapon, and take out some of the competition. Desdemona was in charge of grabbing the supplies. Nobody believed that she was our strongest fighter and she didn't question the decision.

 _7...6...5...4..._

I crouched down on my pedestal, facing forward. Not taking my eyes off the Cornucopia, I scanned the supplies, looking for something I could use. My gaze landed on a crate that sat towards the edge of the mouth, with something gold gleaming on top. Brass knuckles. Perfect.

 _3...2..1..._

"LET THE 7TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!"

I was the very first to jump off my pedestal, with a burst of speed that only Challis could rival. Our district partners were right behind us. I stopped, only to pick up the big duffel bag and tossed it to Victoria, who tossed it to Desdemona. Some of the other tributes were having a much harder time, constantly tripping or slipping in the sand.

As Desdemona and Victoria headed for the Cornucopia, Challis picked up a mace that had been lying at his feet. He set his sights on two girls nearby, who were running towards one of the backpacks lying near the pedestals. Challis took a swing, hitting one of the girls in the face and sending her flying backwards. She collapsed almost immediately, blood gushing from a huge wound in her forehead and trickling down her face.

"NO!" The other girl let out a bloodcurdling scream. "SEINE!"

Challis swung again, but the girl was ready for him. She ducked, then began to run off.

"Nice!" I gave Challis a clap on the bag and we both ran towards the Cornucopia. I made it inside first, then scanned the area. There were crates and weapon racks piled up everywhere. Suddenly, I caught a flash of bright red hair. Kicking a crate of dried fruit aside, I found two younger boys, who were huddled together. Once they saw me, they began to climb away, but I grabbed the redhead and pinned him against the wall of the Cornucopia.

"Brady!" his friend shrieked.  
Brady began to squirm, but I simply grasped tightly onto his head, then jerked it violently to the side.

CR-R-R-R-CK!

Brady dropped limp in my hands. His ally wailed and darted out of the Cornucopia. I tossed the body to the side and grabbed the brass knuckles. Slipping them onto my fingers, I ran back into the sunlight, looking for other tributes to kill.

* * *

 _Shana Trine, 17_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

When I heard someone begin screaming, I realized I had zoned out. There was chaos happening around me, and I was just standing there like an idiot. I caught sight of Eagle gathering a few things, like a sleeping bag, a water bottle, and a sleeve of crackers. He turned and ran, but then crashed into one of his allies, who was being pursued by the boy from 2. Luckily for them, they were able to get up quickly and flee into the trees.

I looked around hoping there was something I could use. And there was. Sticking out of the sand, just a few feet away from where I was, a machete lay patiently. As if it was waiting for me this whole time.  
 _No._ No, I wasn't going to touch it. I wasn't going to allow myself to be consumed by a thirst for blood and torture. I couldn't! Yet, the machete called me. It looked eerily similar to the kind I would wield back home. All I had to do was pick it up...

My feet carried themselves over to the weapon and soon, it was in my hands. I glanced over my shoulder. A younger girl had grabbed a dagger that sat at the edge of the carnage, then fled the scene. I ran after her. I was acting all on an instinct now. The instinct that drove me to hunt for blood and helpless victims.  
And I hated it.

The girl had no clue that I was behind her until my machete drove itself into the back of her head. She fell forwards, then flipped over. Her dark green eyes, bristling with tears, met mine. Instantly, I felt a pang of guilt. But I couldn't do anything to stop myself from taking another stab, this time, driving the machete into her chest. She yelped and began to twitch violently. Her hands flew over her head.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered softly. "I'm so sorry..."

The girl made some sort of noise, but I couldn't understand her. I just kept stabbing, hacking away, until there was nothing left. I wasn't even paying attention to my actions anymore. Instead, I was reminded of my days on the hunt, slaughtering, torturing, red, red, red...

I wanted more. I needed more.

I settled my gaze on a brand new victim. The boy from 3. He was also fleeing for his life, unaware that I was coming for him. It was all too easy. I just swiped at his leg, sending him tripping and sprawling into the sand. As I raised my machete over my head, someone latched onto me.

"What the-"

The girl from 12 was holding onto my leg. I tried to kick her off, but she had a tight grasp. She was a flimsy one too, managing to roll out of the way every single time I tried to make a stab at her. "Let go of me, you little brat!"  
"No!" The girl sunk her finger nails into my flesh. I tried to kick her off again, only to lose my own balance. As I blindly swung my machete and hoped to do some damage, she tossed a clump of sand into my face.

"ACK!" I began wiping sand particles out of my eyes. Through my blurry vision, I caught sight of the District 3 boy getting to his feet and running away, the girl right behind him. I chose to ignore them. Instead, I spit out a wad of sand and ran back to the Cornucopia.

* * *

 _Brynnelle "Brynn" Levitt, 15_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

I had my sights set on a pack that had been placed near my pedestal. As soon as everyone started running, I made my way towards it. As it turned, the girls from 6 and 7 did as well. I quickly made a detour and ran off in a different direction, just in time. The boy from 2 had swung a mace and just like that, the first kill of the Games had been made.  
It was shocking to think how that could've been me.

Everyone was moving now. A few girls ran in the opposite direction almost right away, hoping to escape the carnage with their lives. Some headed straight into the Cornucopia. Others hurried around in circles, scooping supplies up, searching for allies, then making a break for it. Several picked up weapons and swung them at each other.

I ran straight into the middle, hoping to scoop up something. My gaze fell on a small backpack. I reached for it, at the same time as the girl from 4. I latched onto a strap at the same time she grabbed the other side. We both tried to pull the bag away from one another.

"Come on..." I muttered. The girl just smirked, before yanking the bag away from me. I stumbled forward and she swung the bag around, smacking me on the top of my head.  
Suddenly, everything started spinning. The world was a blurry mess. I fell over and landed face-first in the sand. When I finally got my vision back, a javelin planted itself right by my leg.

The girl from 2 was standing a few feet away. She snarled and tossed a second javelin at me. I quickly rolled to my side and behind a rack of spears, out of her line of sight. Zeke was nearby, having a hard time making his way through the sandy terrain. He tripped over a water bottle that had been lying carelessly about, attracting the attention of a tribute with an axe.

 _Run,_ I mouthed. _Go now._

Zeke didn't hear me. Or maybe he was too scared. He just glanced upwards in absolute shock as the boy from 9 planted his axe into my district partner's chest. The deafening scream was pure agony to listen to, and the silence didn't help.

Jumping to my feet, I turned around and ran. I didn't care where I was going, as long as I was as far away from the Cornucopia as possible. I just ran, passing by trees and climbing over rocks. Images flashed through my head. The backpack. The javelin. The axe.  
Zeke's bleeding body.

In the distance, several noises boomed out, shaking the arena and the ground around me. I ignored them. Finally, when I was certain I was far away from everyone else, I collapsed into the sand for the second time that day.

* * *

 _Nicolyn Vargas, 16_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

The first thing I was grabbed when I jumped off my pedestal was a knife. Clutching it tightly in one hand, I picked up a dark blue tarp in the other.

My allies were scattered. Rowena was running to the side, but stopped to let Bravo catch up. Virgil was holding an axe. Somebody tapped me on the shoulder. I jumped around, with my knife ready. Axis stumbled backwards in alarm.  
Suddenly, an idea struck me.

"Here." I shoved my tarp into Axis's hands. "You go grab some stuff. I'm evening out the playing field."  
Axis gasped, but I just ignored her and ran towards the Cornucopia. Virgil was nearby. He seemed to have the same idea as me. If we took someone out now, we wouldn't have to deal with them later. And we could establish our alliance as a threat.

I liked the idea of establishing myself as a threat. Back in District 9, when I messed with the gangs that lurked in the outskirts, I made it clear I was not one to be messed with. They would never beat me up if they were scared of me. And fear was one of the strongest emotions in the Hunger Games.

I held onto my weapon as I finally found my victim. Victoria from 2. She was clearly occupied, too busy throwing javelins at a younger girl trapped a rack of spears. Perhaps, if I tossed my knife just right, I could land it in her back. I held my breathed, aimed, and fired.

The knife sailed in Victoria's direction, but missed her completely. Instead, it landed in the sand next to her. I could've gone to get it, but Victoria whirled around and tackled me. Instincts took hold and I curled my hand into a fist, punching her straight in the face.

"OWWWWW!" Victoria howled. Her right eye was swollen shut and a small trickle of blood escaped her nostrils. She pressed her knee firmly on my chest. Something cracked. Pain shot through my spine. I resisted the urge to scream and landed another punch. Victoria turned her head sharply to the left so my knuckles collided with her cheek. She fell over backwards and I scurried to my feet.

As soon as I was standing, I fell over. My entire body felt like it was on fire and I was certain I had at least one broken rib. I had never broken a rib before. It such a painful sensation. I couldn't see anything, except the blurs of other tributes running away as Victoria's allies chased after them. I caught sight on my own alliance, no doubt fleeing to safety. I should've done the same thing. Oh, why did I try to pick a fight I would've never won?

The last thing I saw was Victoria's shadow looming over me.

* * *

 _Victoria Mason, 17_  
 _District 2 female Tribute_

* * *

The satisfaction of planting my javelin into the girls from 9's back wouldn't last forever, but damn, did it feel good. I pushed the point in as far as possible, then yanked it back out. She cried out, then collapsed. Blood spilled out everywhere, turning her shirt from purple to an ugly maroon.

Desdemona scurried over to me, holding a duffel bag that had been stuffed to the brim. A sword was lying on top. "The boys are doing a quick sweep, to see if there's anybody we missed. I filled this with weapons and there's another backpack that has a bunch of canteens. I didn't have time to sort food and what happened to your face!?"

"What!?" I grabbed the sword and stared at my reflection. A hot mess peered back at me. I had a black eye. My nose was bleeding. My cheek was bruised. I had also bitten my tongue at some point, and it hurt. The left side of my face looked normal, but the right side was a bloody disaster.

"Would...would you like a first-aid kit?" Desdemona asked.  
"That would be nice."

Desdemona ran off. I ran a hand along my cheek. Suddenly, I heard Challis shout, "I found one!"  
He was standing in the Cornucopia, staring at the ground. I didn't see anything at first, then I caught sight on long blond hair. It was Thames, the new 11 kid. He was huddled against the wall, hugging his knees to his body. I picked up my javelin, before he suddenly shouted, "Wait!" You...you don't want to kill me just yet. Trust me, I'm of more use than you think."  
I rolled my eyes. "That's what they all say."

Thames let go of his knees. "Okay...but before you kill me, hear me out! I am aware that if I join your alliance, I'll be the weakest member. The scrapegoat. But that's fine! I can be scout, the sacrifice. I can do all the dirty work so you guys don't have to do it yourselves! That leaves more time for...stuff!"

I wasn't having any of it. "Like what?"  
"How about hunting? You can't go about slaughtering everyone if you're bags are weighing you down. I can carry them."

I hefted the javelin. Before I could plunge it into the young boy's heart, Challis grabbed my wrist. "Hold on. I think I get what he's trying to say. And...I think we might need him."  
Now, it was my turn to scowl. "We don't need a pipsqueak."  
Leonidas shrugged. "Yeah, but we could use a scrapegoat. Or numbers. And I'm pretty sure Pipsqueak here isn't gonna get any ideas." He lowered himself to Thames's level. "Will you?"  
"No sir!"

A loud scream caught everyone's attention. Desdemona lay sprawled on top of the duffel bag; her stomach had been slashed open multiple times. Above her, the girl from 10 began backing away, clutching a machete to her chest. I tossed a javelin at her and she yelped, turning around and dashing away.

Leonidas was instantly at his district partner's side. He pressed two fingers against her neck. "No pulse."  
We were kept silent. Thames crawled out from the Cornucopia and edged closer towards me. "I'm sorry..."  
I sighed. "Leonidas, you're right. We don't have the numbers anymore, and we need them. We'll take the runt...but if he causes any trouble, I'm using him as a practice target. Are we clear?"

Everyone nodded, including Thames. A small smirk was forming on his face.

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Stop following me!"  
"I'm not following you!"  
"Yes you are!"

Josie stopped and folded her arms. "No I'm not! I don't care about you, Mark! Not at all!"  
"Well, if you don't care...why did you save me?'

Josie's scowl faltered. She stopped glaring at me and instead, focused all her attention onto a wildflower growing nearby, as if it could provide the answers to everything. "I..."  
"You could've let me die. You said it yourself, you don't care about what happens to me. I would've been gone, just like that."

Bright red blotches appeared on Josie's cheeks. "I...she didn't kill. She tortures...I figured...well, I'd rather you get a different kind of death."  
Josie was lying. I could tell. But I figured it would be best if I just dropped the subject. "So can you stop following me?'

"No!"

Josie's response was so loud, even my ears were ringing. "I don't wanna see you die-I mean, I don't wanna think I did that sacrifice for nothing!"  
"So you're staying with me."  
"Yes. For the time being." Josie slid her pack off her shoulder. "Let's see what's in here."

She dumped the contents of the bag out. Inside was a small sack containing three apples, two water bottles, a pack of iodine drops, a dagger, and a rope.

Josie looked disappointed, but I was glad that we actually had something after all. But I had a feeling it wouldn't last. I picked up the water bottles. One was heavy, as it it hadn't been touched. The other one was way too light. I unscrewed the cap and found nothing inside.

Josie began shoving everything back into the bag. "This isn't good."  
"Hmmm?"  
"I said, 'this isn't good!'" Josie yanked the water bottles from my hands. "We don't have a lot of food or water. And rope. What good would that do?"

I shrugged. "We'll make it work."  
That seemed to calm Josie down slightly. And I realized something. Despite her cold attitude, she was just as scared as I was. Things were very awkward and confusing right now, but neither of us wanted to die.

"So..." Josie's voice took on a softer tone. She spoke quietly, but just loud enough so I could hear. "What should we do?"  
"Let's eat the apples today. They'll go bad anyways. And then we can look for food."

I turned around and trudged off into the trees. Josie followed behind me. This time, I didn't care.

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Careers Plus a Pipsqueak:_ Leonidas, Challis, Victoria, Thames

 _Strong Peeps Squad:_ Axis, Bravo, Rowena, Virgil

 _The Two Amigos:_ Kyliana, Eagle

 _Awkward Acquaintances:_ Mark, Josie

 _Loners:_ Brynnelle, Nestor, Everleigh, Christopher, Paisley, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 1 (Nicolyn)

Virgil: 1 (Zeke)

Shana: 2 (Desdemona, Gaya)

* * *

 **24th place: Seine Hopper, District 6. Head bashed in by Challis.**

 **At first, I didn't really get a feel for Seine. I gradually got the hang of her character but by then, her fate had already been decided. I figured that if I killed her off in the Bloodbath, I could use her death to help propel Eagle and Kyliana's arcs forward. There's also the fact that I haven't heard anything form her submitter and while I'm pretty lenient on reviews and check-ins, I won't give the Victor to someone who's never shown interest in the story. There was also the fact I needed more Bloodbaths. To SapphireMoon04, if you're reading this, sorry about Seine. She wasn't a bad character; this just wasn't her arena.  
**

 **23rd place: Brady Griffith, District 12. Neck snapped by Leonidas.**

 **This one was really hard for me to write. I loved Brady. Like, LOVED him. He was such a smol bean with a lot of room for development, and I really enjoyed writing about his adventures with Kit. It gave me a break from all the more serious relationships and alliances. But, it was just luck of the draw and Brady happened to be the bean I picked. His death was foreshadowed in chapter 21, but I'm not sure if it was picked up on. District 9 Tribute, thanks for taking one for the team and submitting this little adorkable cinnamon roll. You still have Kyliana, so the Games aren't over for you.**

 **22nd place: Gaya Westbay, District 11. Stabbed repeatedly by Shana.**

 **I liked Gaya too. She was a simple character who preferred to play it safe. She may have shared some similar strategies with other tributes, but I still found her unique. I tried my hardest to give her a fair share of screen time, knowing that she would end up getting overshadowed by the stuff happening with Basileon and Thames. She did nothing wrong, I just needed more Bloodbath victims. Gaya just happened to get unlucky. Thank you cookiecastlequeen for Gaya. You still have Kit, so the games aren't over for you.**

 **21st place: Zeke Beckett, District 5. Chest axed open by Virgil.**

 **Aw man. Zeke, Zeke, Zeke. I don't think anybody was too surprised by this death. I often struggled with Zeke, simply because I never knew what to do with him or what I had to write. His form had details, but not enough for me to form a character arc for him and I just figured that he would end up here. Thank you Fluffytail15 for Zeke, and I hope you'll keep reading to see what happens next.**

 **20th place: Nicolyn Vargas. Javelin to the back by Victoria.**

 **This was probably the big surprise death. Considering the fact that Nicolyn's alliance had five members, I figured it would make sense that at least one of them would bite the dust, especially if the careers were actively targeting them. I picked Nicolyn because she seemed the most likely to pick a fight and because I thought that her allies had more for me to work with in terms of plot and character arcs. She was still nice to write for, she just ended up chucking the wrong weapon at the wrong person. Pixelfun20, I don't know if you're reading this but if you are, thanks for Nicolyn.**

 **19th place: Desdemona Montague, District 1. Stomach slashed open by Shana.**

 **Surprise death? Maybe. Hotel? Trivago. Anyways, Desdemona was great. Really. She was such a dreamy but naive sheltered girl. She didn't understand a lot about the Games or the potential danger she'd be in. I loved writing her out and entering her head, seeing the world from her perspective. Certainly a nice break from all the bloodshed. Thank you paperairline for Desdemona, and you still have Rowena, so the Games aren't over for you.**

* * *

 **So, that was the Bloodbath. Were there any deaths that surprised you? Anyone you expected to die, but didn't?**

 **Yes, I'm back from camp. I just had a shower but I still smell like lakewater. Hope you enjoyed this chapter (yeah, it happened, FIGHT ME, NICOLE!) and I'll see you guys again on Day 2!**


	30. Night 1: The Tide Is High

**Here we are, with the rest of the first day. The Bloodbath has just ended, and now the tributes are scattered. What happens next?**

 **By the way, I've started up a partial SYOT with my good friend Mars! It's called Psycho Circus! We'd really appreciated if you gave it a read...and maybe submitted a tribute or two?**

* * *

 _Bravo Turner, 15_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

"It's a good haul," Virgil said. "I mean, look at all this stuff we grabbed!" He gestured towards our backpacks, which were filled with all sorts of goodies. "We have food, water, weapons...heck, we even have a sleeping bag and a tarp!"

It was a good haul. But nobody felt like celebrating. Axis wiped at her eyes for the hundredth time; we all knew why, even if she claimed she just had some sand stuck in her eye. Rowena leaned against a palm tree, carelessly stabbing the tip of her spear into the sand over and over. I was sitting next to her on a rock.

We had entered this arena with five. Now, we were down to four. It had taken a while for Nicolyn's death to sink in...but it finally had. She hadn't pulled any stunts on us by collapsing like that. She wasn't going to come running after us when we escaped. And that whole scene...it hadn't been staged either. Victoria wasn't kidding when she stabbed our ally in the back. She was dead, gone. Simple as that.

But I wasn't upset. I was in shock. Back in District 4, the Games had always been somewhat scary to me. All these tributes would just run around, until they collided with each other's weapons and died. Then I thought nothing about them. This was a whole different experience. A scarier experience. It wasn't some show that was happening far, far, away. This was real.

I can die.

A small cough from Virgil quickly snapped me back to reality. "Well. Are you three just gonna stay there and mope, or are you coming with me?"  
Axis sniffed. "Yeah...where are we going?"  
"To cover more ground. I don't think the brutes from 1 and 2 plan on giving up the Cornucopia that easily. So wee need to move, unless we want them to spot us."  
"I'm terrified," Rowena muttered sarcastically. But she stopped poking the ground with the spear and followed Virgil deeper into the arena.

We soon fell into a little line. Virgil lead the way, hefting his axe. Rowena was at the back; her job was to watch out behind us, then plant her spear into any moving thing that got to close for comfort. Axis and I were in the middle, but tasked with carrying all the supplies. We simply placed the packs on our shoulders.

To distract myself, I began to strategize. Obviously, Virgil was our supposed leader. He had made that very clear and from what I could tell, nobody really wanted to challenge him. I knew I wouldn't be able to beat him in a fight; Axis probably felt the same, because she chose to walk behind me, instead of behind Virgil. There was a possibility Rowena would want to try, but I had a feeling she wouldn't just yet. Plus, I could always convince her otherwise if I needed to.

So far, nothing interesting appeared. The landscape simply consisted of palm trees, rocks, sand, the occasional wildflower, coconuts, sand, a few spots of grass, and more sand. Ugh. That would be a real pain to get out of the sleeping bag.

"Alright." Virgil pointed at a nearby clearing with his axe. "Let's camp out here."  
Rowena frowned. "Wouldn't it be smarter to choose...more concealed location? Not only are we giving ourselves away, but this who act just screams, 'I think I'm so great, I'm just gonna turn myself into a sitting target and camp out in the open.'" She scoffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "But if that's the angle you want, by all means, go ahead."

Axis seemed really eager to avoid an argument; she pointed to the nearby palm trees. "We can cover ourselves up with these."

Virgil glanced between the two girls, trying to figure out with making his case against Rowena was really worth it. "Well, I like that idea. Come on guys, let's build a shelter."

* * *

 _Eagle Roseworth, 16_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

My throat burned. My legs ached. I wanted to eat. I wanted to drink. I wanted to use the bathroom.

But I didn't. Neither did Kyliana. We both stayed rooted to our spots on the rocks that sat by the sand. Our two water canteens and sleeve of crackers were right beside me. I wasn't going to let them out of my sight. I also didn't want to break in either, in case I got too greedy and ate too much.

We continued to sit there, as the sun began to set; it looked like it was sinking into the ocean. The sky had turned all sorts of colours. Red, orange, pink, purple, a very deep blue. It would've been beautiful to look at, had I not been fearing for my life.

It was a freaking miracle I had managed to survive the scrimmage at the Cornucopia. I had expected the Gamemakers to pull something off and get me killed. But no. I wasn't out yet. I was still here. I was intact. I was alive.

 _I was alive._

The sun had finally disappeared. The sky had gone dark. A breeze began to kick up. Kyliana shivered. I pulled my arms into my T-shirt. We didn't move. Suddenly, everything around me was lit up by a bright blue hologram shining in the night sky. Somewhere, the anthem of Panem began to play.

The music was leaving a foul taste in my mouth. I wanted to do something about it. To gargle some water, to tear my hair out in frustration, to scream at the heavens about how we could call ourselves a decent country when we slaughtered our youth alive and treated them like absolute garbage every single year. I wanted to start a one-man fight; the same fight my father started before he died. But I kept my mouth shut.

Panem's seal began to float over our heads, before being replaced with the words "The Fallen." The words were then replaced by the face of the girl from 1. Kyliana and I exchanged confused glances. After her came the boy from 5.

Then Seine.

Kyliana choked back a sob. Everything afterwords was a blur. When the anthem finished, the sky went dark once more. I carefully reached out until my hands was sitting on Kyliana's shoulder. "I'm...so sorry."

Kyliana didn't say anything; all she did was turn her head away. I just sat with her in the darkness, as my stomach began to tangle itself up in knots.

* * *

 _Paisley Weftin, 16_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

Thank goodness for dark caves. Nobody would ever think to find me here. The only light source I had was the full moon shining over the mouth of the cave. Hopefully, I could hide under the cover of the darkness.

I curled up between two rocks and started to come up with a plan. I had nothing. No food. No water. No supplies. I couldn't just hide out here; I'd have to go look for something if I didn't want to starve to death. I gave it some thought then decided to make daily trips out of the cave to look for food and water, while returning here every night. Yes, that sounded like it would work.

Eventually, things got so dark, I could barely make out my hands and legs in front of me. The only sound I could hear was the sound of crashing waves, and the occasional squawking bird. It felt...quiet. Peaceful, even. My eyes began to droop and I let them close.

When I woke up, the back of my pants were soaking wet.

Instantly, I jumped up, almost slamming my head against the wall of the cave. Why was everything so wet? I thought I knew better than to fall asleep in a puddle. I stepped to the side, hoping to find a drier patch of the cave to nap in. But somehow, water had gotten everywhere. And it also manged to rise up to my feet.

 _Wait a second...these aren't puddles._

The crashing waves seemed a little more violent now. Water was seeping in at a faster rate. My feet were completely covered and the water level was now at my ankles. Then it reached the bottom of my legs. Instantly, I realized what was going on. The cave was flooding!

 _I have to get out of here!_

It wasn't easy to run in water and wet sand, but I managed my way to the entrance of the cave, when a strong wind forced me to stop. Sand was now blowing in. I glanced away. Something, perhaps a random leaf, wrapped itself around the back of my head and I quickly tried to rip it off. Then I tripped over a stray rock. The water level was easily past my legs. I slipped again, accidentally gulping down some of the salty water.

As I sputtered and choked, one more wave washed over me, covering me up for good. Panic had finally taken control and I began thrashing about, kicking my legs, flailing my arms, trying my damn hardest to swim for my life! I didn't want to die! Not like this!

"N-no!" I finally resurfaced and coughed out as much water as possible. "Somebody...h-help! Help!"

The waves pushed me to the back of the cave. They were the last thing I saw before my head made contact with the sharp rocks and the world turned black.

* * *

Brynnelle "Brynn" Levitt, 15  
District 5 Female Tribute

* * *

BOOM!

"What the hell!?" I shrieked, then quickly covered my mouth. It was the middle of the night. Who would be dumb enough to get themselves killed at this hour!?

But now that I was awake, there didn't seem to be a point in going back to sleep. Instead, I glanced around. Back and forth. Back and forth. Was there anybody nearby? If so, I didn't want to take any chances. I had just barely escaped with my life. Something told me I wouldn't be so lucky next time.

Back and forth. There's nobody here. Back and forth. You're all alone. Back and forth. Nothing but emptiness. Back and forth-  
"Who's there!?"

I bolted up, grabbing a piece of wood as a makeshift weapon. The leaves on the bushes rustled again. In the dark, I could make out a single stumbling figure. Finally, I could see her face in the light. She looked exhausted. The pockets on her cargo pants had been stuffed. Bits of sand clung to her skin. She was holding a dagger.

It was one of the girls from 7. Once she saw me, she yelped and held up her hands. "Don't kill me!"  
"...fine..." I dropped the wood. "What are you doing here?"  
"So...you're not gonna hurt-"  
"Well, if you don't hurt me first!"

She lowered her hands. "...thank you. I was...getting so scared out here...I'm Everleigh, by the way."  
"Brynne."  
Everleigh nodded. "Nice to meet you...if you don't want me here, I'll just go..."  
"Wait..."

She stopped. I shuffled forward. Even though I hadn't bothered talking to anyone in training...for some reason, I didn't want to tough it out on my own just yet. I had truly underestimated what my situation was going to be like. And it was scary.  
"You can stay if you want."  
"You mean, like...be your ally?"  
I nodded.

Everleigh sighed with relief and sat down next to me. She fished through her pockets. "I don't have any food...but I have some bandages. And the dagger. That's about it."  
"That's better than what I have."

Everleigh studied the surroundings. She just shrugged, then turned over. I heard a few gentle snores, before lying back down and closing my eyes.

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Three Careers Plus a Pipsqueak:_ Leonidas, Challis, Victoria, Thames

 _Strong Peeps Squad:_ Axis, Bravo, Rowena, Virgil

 _The Two Amigos:_ Kyliana, Eagle

 _Awkward Acquaintances:_ Mark, Josie

 _Apparently Allies Now:_ Brynnelle, Everleigh

 _Loners:_ Nestor, Christopher, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 1 (Nicolyn)

Virgil: 1 (Zeke)

Shana: 2 (Desdemona, Gaya)

Other: 1 (Paisley)

* * *

 **18th place: Paisley Weftin, District 8. Drowned.**

 **I figured that as someone from an industrial district where there isn't much access to random bodies of water, Paisley would have a very limited knowledge about high tide...or tides in general. Plus, while those caves sound like a great hiding spot at first...are they really? I did enjoy Paisley. She was a simple girl who liked sticking to her routine, because that's what she was comfortable with. She didn't have anything too crazy going on with her, which I didn't mind; she stuck out in her own ways. Thank you goldie031 for Paisley, and I hope you'll continue to read this story.**

* * *

 **Well, the first day is over. Some new alliances have formed too. hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you all on Day 2!**


	31. Day 2: Coco and Nuts

**So, 24 hours have passed and the tributes find themselves waking up to the second day in the arena. Oh, what could happen now?**

* * *

 _Avis LeBouvier, 17_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Are those edible?" Virgil asked, pointing to some fruit hanging in a palm tree. "Those things...those big, hard, brown balls."  
Rowena snickered. "Um, excuse me!? 'Big, hard, brown balls?' Virgil, you naughty boy, I didn't know you swing that way."  
"Shut up."

"They're called coconuts," Bravo replied in a neutral tone. "And yeah, their insides are edible. If you can get them down."  
"Oh, I'll get them down alright. Just you watch." Virgil threw his arms around three and tried to pull himself up. It proved to be easier said than done. Rowena even tried climbing the tree, but it wasn't easy for her ether. Eventually, she and Bravo picked up a long stick out of the sand and used it to knock a few of the lower-hanging coconuts down. We used the axe to carve them open.

I had seen coconuts before; while I had never tasted coconut milk, I was told the occasional story of my parents drinking it in their younger years. So when we finally cracked the first one open, I didn't expect the insides to be white. It didn't taste that good either, but it was food and I wasn't one to turn food down.

As I helped Virgil crack the coconuts in half, Rowena and Bravo came over with another handful. Bravo then showed me how to use Rowena's spear to poke a hole in the coconut to drink the liquid inside. That was a lot tastier and very refreshing.

After a breakfast of coconut, dried meat and crackers, we packed up all our stuff and moved out. Bravo though it would be better to stay active and never sleep in the same place for more than a night, since it would be harder for fellow tributes to catch a moving target. Virgil thought that was pointless, since nobody would want to take their chances with an alliance of four, but he was quickly outnumbered.

I felt a bit more confident than I did yesterday, since we had full bellies and stuffed our bags with as many coconuts as possible; I kept one in my hand to drink from when I got thirsty. Even when all the milk was gone, it still felt a bit heavy, as if something was inside. I gave it a little shake and heard a rattling noise. That wasn't normal.

Eventually, we stopped to take a bathroom break and I got curious. Taking the axe, I cracked the coconut in half. A small little vial fell out and rolled to a stop at my feet. I picked it up. It was a clear substance, with only a skull and crossbones on the label, but you didn't have to be a genius to figure out what it was.

 _Poison._

This...this was one hell of a weapon. Sneak enough of it into anybody's food, and they'd be a goner for sure. But...what was I supposed to do with it? Was I to let my allies know that I had a bottle of poison, or would it be better to keep the vial to myself, just in case?

"Hey Axis!" Virgil yelled. "Can I have my axe back? Time to get moving! We're going this-a-way now!"

I stuff the vial in my pocket and jumped to my feet. I waved the axe to let Virgil know I was coming, then followed him, Bravo, and Rowena, through the path of palm trees.

Suddenly, I felt less secure than before. The vial of poison bounced around carelessly in my pocket. The feeling of knowing it was there, the possibility I could just cram it down my allies's throats and be done with them. It scared me.

Was I really capable of doing such a thing?

* * *

 _Challis Scorn, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

I tossed a throwing star into the air, then caught it on its way back down. Thames watched me with interest. He was scraping the remains of our breakfast omelettes from the pan we used to cook them. Further in the Cornucopia, Leonidas and Victoria were packing. They wanted to go out and claim a few more kills, while Thames and I were tasked with keeping the Cornucopia safe from intruders.

I personally didn't want to stay and babysit, but Victoria wouldn't take no for an answer. But it seemed like a better idea to drop the issue, so I did. Now, she was wearing some sort of holster carrying javelins inside of it, with a green backpack on her shoulders.

I tossed the throwing star into the air again. Victoria caught it and threw it back into the Cornucopia. I just frowned.  
"Are you two coming back for lunch?"  
"If you're gonna cook, use the fresh stuff before it goes bad. But not of all it. Don't pour the fire out with water from the canteens and make sure you clean the dishes. And if Thames gets up to anything...kill him."

We both glanced over at Thames, who was preoccupied with pouring salt and pepper on his egg scraps, until Leonidas yanked the shakers from his hands. He then saw us staring and waved.  
Victoria scowled. "I still don't trust him, but...just...you know what do to okay? Leonidas and I should be returning before sunset."  
"Sounds good."

And like that, they were gone.

Thames sand I sat in the mouth of the Cornucopia, where it was cooler. I studied him carefully. Victoria did have a reason for not trusting him; something about the boy was...off. I couldn't quite out my finger on it, but there was. Thames's long blond hair was unnaturally brown at the roots and his freckles stood out a bit too much. He smiled at lot too. More often that not, those grins seemed fake. He had bright green eyes, brighter than any green eyes I had even seen before.

I couldn't just kill him for appearance alone. That would be stupid. So instead, I asked him a question. "Hey...how's this compared to life back in 11?"  
Thames blinked, once, twice, then shrugged. "We don't have that much sand, that's for sure. How about District 2?"

"We have a lot of small mines all over the place. And mountains. Lots of mountains. Anybody ever tell you that?"  
"Nope. Never have been to District 2 before. Who do you guys even do anyways?"

"Some of us our miners. I'm not. My family is pretty lucky because we're patriots. The Capitol has rewarded us greatly for our support and loyalty."  
"Is that why you're here?" Thames asked.  
"Yes."

I smiled. After all, I should've been proud of my duty as a servant to the Capitol. And I was! Thames however, didn't share my enthusiasm. "Oh...okay. You do you, I guess. Whatever."

I just rolled my eyes. Why did some people feel so ashamed to admit their dedication and respect of the Capitol? There was nothing to hide about it. "Well, I am happy to show my support."  
"I'll be happy if I just make it to the end of the day. I know that guys probably want me dead."  
"Nobody said that-"

"Then why does Victoria not trust me?"

I chose not to answer.

* * *

 _Nestor Barde, 14_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

WHAM!

My knuckles bled. My hands ached. The tree I punched did not move. It seemed as if it didn't care. I punched it again.

Now, my knuckles were really bleeding. I just scowled. _If you're afraid of the pain, then you're worthless,_ Casey would tell me. _You're a little goddamn punk who deserves to die on these streets.  
_ So I punched the tree one more time. Now, my hand was red. I had splinters, too. That forced me to stop and try to dig them out, gritting my teeth as I did.

Why was I so mad?

Being mad made me feel better. Taking my anger out of anything nearby made me feel better. The load I managed to get yesterday was upsetting. Two small knives and a loaf of bread. That was it!? That was all!? What good would that do me!?

Eventually, I stopped punching the tree. I ripped some leaves form nearby bush and wrapped them around my bleeding hand. Whatever pain there was, I didn't really feel it anymore. My skin seemed paler than before.

 _Great. Just great. I'm going to bleed out in the middle of this friggin' arena because I punched a tree too hard. And I've got nothign to help! What the hell!?  
_

In the midst of everything, I scowled and kicked at the ground. Sand went flying everywhere. Some landed on my face. I yelped and began wiping it from my eyes. I stumbled and tripped over a rock. Finally, my eyes were clear but now my foot really hurt. I felt like kicking something, but decided against it. Last thing I needed right now was two hurting feet.

I still wanted to be angry. I still wanted to feel mad. But...I didn't. I was mad before and look where that got me.  
Instead, I tried a technique that Casey told me, when she wanted to manage me in case my anger got us into any trouble. Breathe. In and out. Close your eyes and think tranquil thoughts.

I thought of an island. Not this stupid arena, but a much better, nicer island. I thought of a giant stone palace, where I could lounge around, eat luxurious food, and never have to worry about money again. Anybody who dared to cross me would receive the ultimate punishment. I would beat them to a pulp. And they would never think of challenging me again.

Thinking of food made me hungry. I didn't eat anything yesterday; my rumbling stomach was a reminder of that. I glanced miserably at my loaf of bread, then ripped off a chunk. I crammed the whole piece into my mouth and chewed. It tasted bland. The bread kept sticking to the roof of my mouth and seemed to be full of grain. Unless that was sand. It was sand. Great. Just another problem I needed going on in my life right now.

Even though the bread tasted like crap, it was food and I needed it. I wrapped it back up and shoved it into my pocket, which the loaf was too big for. It made a squishing noise. I chose to ignore it. Instead, I picked up my knives and held one in each hand.

I was no idiot. I knew how to use knives. These stupid things were small, but if you stick a weapon into the right hands, it becomes fatal. And my hands were perfect for the job. If I didn't know how to cause some damage, I never would've survived the streets. Plus, my knuckles had finally stopped bleeding. They were still sore, but I could deal with it.

 _Watch me, Casey. You may think I have problems with my temper, but I'm gonna turn it into something useful._

* * *

 _Christopher "Kit" Belmont, 12_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Come on, Kit. Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts. Think...of good...things..."

It was becoming increasingly harder to think of good things with so many bad things happening. Brady, my one true ally, was dead. Thames, the guy I also thought was an ally, was nowhere to be found. Paisley, the girl who left District 8 and came here with me, was gone. The ones I had connections to were with not coming back and I was still here.

 _Am I gonna die too?_

I didn't want to die. I really didn't want to die. I had seen how easy it was for someone to snap Brady's neck and kill him in an instant. What if that happened to me too? What if somebody else found me and made sure my death wasn't as painless?

It was hard to try and think of things other than death. Death seemed to be all around. In the blood that stained the water, in the cannons that fired overhead, in the faces that littered the night sky. I felt as if the arena was taunting me. _Hey! You're still alive, so you get to see all these kids that died today! Wanna join them? We can make that happen._

On top of that, I was tired and hungry. I didn't sleep at all last night. All I had was a water bottle; even when I really needed a drink, I only took one small sip. I needed more water, and way more food. But where was I supposed to get it?

There were a lot of trees. I passed by several with long green leaves and jagged trunks, until I noticed something. There all had objects hanging from them.  
Food?

I decided to bring one down, hoping that it was edible. If not, I could bowl with it.  
My first attempt involved climbing the tree. That proved to be useless; the surface was too jagged and hurt my fingers. Finally, I picked up a rock and chucked it. The rock slammed into the trunk, barely doing anything. I picked it up and tried again.

 _Nope. Third time's the charm...okay fine, fourth...maybe fifth? Sixth time now, I have to get it._

The rock slammed into the top of the tree and knocked something down. I grabbed it, then used a slightly bigger rock to crack it open. After several attempts, I made a dent. A small stream of clear juice came flying out and squirted into my eye.  
"Ow!" My eye twitched and I could feel it watering. As I waited, I tried peeling the rest of the object open, revealing a smooth, white inside. Curiously, I plucked a piece off.

It tasted...weird. Stuff like this never grew in 8. Maybe the kids from 4 knew what is was? Of course, assuming they wouldn't kill me if I got to close to them.  
Still, I wasn't complaining. Food was food. And with food, I was still alive. If I got my hands on some more of this, I'd be fine.

Of course, I just needed to be careful not to squirt myself in the eye again.

* * *

Current Alliances:

Three Babysitters and a Pipsqueak: Leonidas, Challis, Victoria, Thames

Coconut Squad: Axis, Bravo, Rowena, Virgil

The Two Amigos: Kyliana, Eagle

Awkward Acquaintances: Mark, Josie

Still Allies: Brynnelle, Everleigh

Loners: Nestor, Christopher, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 1 (Nicolyn)

Virgil: 1 (Zeke)

Shana: 2 (Desdemona, Gaya)

Other: 1 (Paisley)

* * *

 **Hopefully, with this chapter, we shall surpass Rebellious Fate's review count! Yay!**

 **Also, you guys have no clue how much I wanted to use this chapter name. I've been wanting to use it ever since I heard it in Survivor and I finally have the chance and now I've used it and I'm proud of myself.**


	32. Day 3: The Way Old Friends Do

**Warning: The third POV contains the slaughtering and torturing of an animal. Please proceed with caution and if you are uncomfortable with subject at hand, I advise you skip over it completely.  
**

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

I flipped the water bottles over. Nothing came out.

Between the two of us, an entire water bottle and three measly apples had only lasted 2 days. My stomach growled. I tried to ignore it. In my time in 12, there had been a few days when I got by with very little to eat. Plus, my family could never afford that much food to begin with. But there was huge difference between eating very little and wondering if you'll ever eat again.

Mark sat beside me, leaning against a rock. He was amusing himself by tracing the strands of the rope with his finger. He was probably feeling a bit hungry like I did, but doing a better job of hiding it. We continued to just sit, thinking. Finally, I broke the silence.

"We need to find food."  
Mark glanced over. "How should we start?"  
I rummaged through the backpack I grabbed at the Bloodbath. My hands closed around the dagger. "Hunting, I guess?"

"I don't see any animals." Mark went back to tracing the rope. "And we need water."  
I stood up, then yanked to his feet. "So let's go."

As it turned out, Mark was right. Animals were scarce. There was the occasional bird flying above us, but I could never hit them with just a dagger. We needed something we could reach from the ground.

After what felt like hours, but was probably just minutes, I heard a familiar sound.

Water.

Trickling.

I took off after it. Mark followed closely behind. We stumbled upon a small little waterfall. It wasn't impressive but I could still feel my mouth salivating. We filled up the bottles in no time. I wanted to take a quick sip, but Mark yanked the bottle form my hands. "Hey!"

"We can't be sure if it's clean!" From the bag, Mark pulled out the iodine drops. The package boasted that only one would be enough to purify our water. mark put a drop into each of the water bottles, then shook them up. I wanted to drink, but he told me we had to wait. "Just to be sure, okay?"  
"Okay, father," I said sarcastically.  
Mark just shook his head. We waited, then he handed me a bottle. I took as long as I needed, and ended up draining the whole thing. I ran it back under the waterfall. "Hand me the iodine."

Mark placed a drop in my palm. He held the rope in his other hand. "We should build a trap."  
"Why?"  
"Food."

I stared back at the rope. To me, it was pointless. What good would a single piece do? But then again, we needed food. To survive. And if we couldn't catch it...we could trap it.  
"You're right. Let's go."

* * *

 _Eagle Roseworth, 16_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

Kyliana let out a weak groan. "Okay, you can put me down now."  
I gently got onto my knees and she climbed off my shoulders. We both slid off the boulder I had been standing on. In her hands, Kyliana held a pair of coconuts. I remembered one of the rebels my dad used to work with telling me about an excursion he took to 4, where he saw trees capable of growing such things.

Our food had long run out. Our crackers, gone. My mouth watered at the thought of just simply having something to eat. However, there was still the problem of getting the coconuts open. Of course the Gamemakers would never make it that easy, specially for me.

Kyliana pointed to the boulder. I saw what she meant. Together, we took turns throwing our coconuts against the boulder. I held mine over my head and threw with as much power as I could muster. Perhaps I would've been stronger. But I had spent three days, starving, dehydrated and frying under a hot Sun. Any strength I had right now was nothing short of a miracle.

I threw again. Within the coconut, something shattered.  
Kyliana gasped. I looked over my shoulder at her, where she had the bigger coconut siting in half at her feet. Inside was a spike. Eagerly, she scooped it up and we both stared in awe. I picked up my coconut, somehow still intact, and we drilled a little hole into it. I held it up to my lips and drank.

Refreshing.

Kyliana scooped off some of the insides and offered them to me. We chowed down, then I wedged the spike back into my coconut, creating a slightly larger hole. Kyliana reached to take the drinking coconut from me. "Are you done yet?"  
"One last turn." I held the hole over me, gulping down as much as possible.

Then I choked on a shard of broken glass.

Gasping for breath, I glanced through the little hole. there wasn't much to see simply because a cork had blocked my view. I shook the coconut violently, then more liquid poured out onto my feet. It was extremely opaque, but I could see the glass. There had been a bottle inside the coconut, and I had just swallowed its contents.

My heart began to beat rapidly and I began to take large and quick breaths. I fell over sideways, right in front of Kyliana. She dropped down, trying to roll me onto my back.  
"Eagle? Eagle!? Can you hear me!? What happened!?"

"P-p-p...poi-p-poison-"

Poison. What an evil way for the Gamemakers to get rid of me. Too afraid to do it themselves, so they hid a vial of poison inside the coconut, so they could blame everything on natural causes. Too cowardly to deal with a simple little rebel. No, their hands would be washed free of the whole incident, while I would be the one left to suffer.

A series thoughts flashed through my head. I hoped Kyliana would survive without me. I hoped my mother would shield her eyes instead of watching her only son die. I hoped whoever escaped this goddamn nightmare of the arena, bless their little heart, would gave the Gamemakers hell for everything

Most importantly, I hoped my father was waiting.

* * *

 _Shana Trine, 17_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

BOOM!

I jumped, then slipped and fell backwards into a patch of sand. I still held onto my machete, as if it was my lifetime and I wouldn't dare to let anybody take it away from me.

I pressed a hand against my stomach, slightly able to feel my ribs. Ugh, I felt so hungry. Last night, I found a little stream which I slurped some water from, but I would simply waste away without food. I knew I could change that. I could find a way to obtain it.

And that way scared me.

When I slaughtered that girl running away, I wanted to keep going. Just kill everything in my path. nobody would dare to stand before me. After all, I was unstoppable. I killed and I killed. I sliced this way and that. I didn't care whether it was a clean death or the victim kept crying out in pain afterwards. Not a single hand could touch Shana Trine and live to tell the tale.

But this wasn't Shana Trine.

I tired not to think about it too much. Instead, I slunk against the base of a tree and blinked back tears. The machete dropped form my hand, but I let it sit there. I just willed myself not to cry. I had already spent most of my tears last night. I didn't have much energy left.

And then the bushes rustled.

I jumped to my feet and grabbed the machete. There was a sense of security and confidence that came with holding it. Trying to make as little noise as possible, I crept towards the bush and looked around for any approaching danger. The only thing staring back at me was a goat.  
A goat!

I didn't even think about it. Shana was no longer in control, but the villain was. The poor goat barely had any time to react before I tackled it and swiped at its legs. I missed three of them, but caught a hind leg, swiping it clean off. The goat bellowed in alarm.  
What was I doing!?

I'm doing what I need to survive.

With the goat stuck in one position, I should've gotten it over with. And I wanted to. But I didn't. I buried the machete in the goat's stomach, hoping to stop it from moving around and kicking me. I dug it in again. Then a third time. The goat's bleats ached with pain, as it desperately tried to lunge form my hands. Eventually, when the blade of the machete was buried in its eye, it stopped moving.

I shouldn't have been this cruel. But I was.

Was Shana Trine always like this?

* * *

 _Brynnelle "Brynn" Levitt, 15_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

As the sky was filled with all sorts of vivid colours, Everleigh and I sat on a rock overlooking the water. I couldn't help but admire the sight. Even with my fears and worries, there was still time to sit back, relax, and take in the beauty of the Arena, before cannons rang out in the air and blood stained the scenery.

Everleigh squirmed slightly. Her hands were stained from some berries that we had found and eaten earlier today. She was looking up the sky, then pointed. "Look at that orange. Have you ever seen something so gorgeous?"  
I shook my head. "Never. I really love that shade of pink, though."  
"And yellow."  
"And blue!"

"And red." Everleigh sighed. "It's so bright, that red. It looks...it looks...it doesn't look real." She traced her finger along the side of the rock. "Sometimes, if I stayed up late enough, I would get to see the sunsets in 7."  
"There's too much smog in 5, from all the factories. I see the sunset too, but..." I shrugged. "It's not as pretty."

"What do you do in 5?" Everleigh asked.  
"Well, there's a local school. I go there with my sister, Olivia. I get along with some girls and one or two guys...but I haven't really been close with them. I help Olivia out a lot. She has something called autism and she gets picked on a lot for it. I get stand that. I don't like to see my sister sad."

"I used to get picked on too," Everleigh said quietly.  
"You." I must've sounded a bit harsh, because Everleigh gave me a small glare. "I mean...why would anyone want to be mean to you? You've been nothing but nice to me."

"I have some sort of disorder called...As...Asp...Asp...I don't remember. The doctor told me a long time ago. So that made me the odd one out. Then I started transitioning and...not everybody was as supportive as my family...if it hadn't been for Raven, I don't know what I would've done...then I had other things wrong with me...but at least the doctor could explain things and help me out."

The sky was darker now. I just stared at my ally. "I...didn't know about all of this."  
Everleigh shrugged. "Well, it's not like we knew each other until now."  
"That's fair." I leaned in closer to Everleigh. "I don't like seeing you sad either."

It was harder to tell with the lack of light, but I swear she was smiling back at me. "I...I don't deserve a friend like you, Brynn. You're too nice to me."  
"Are we friends now?"  
"I guess so."

And so, us two friends continued to watch the last bit of the Sun fade away. I wished everything could've stayed like that forever.

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Three Careers and a Pipsqueak:_ Leonidas, Challis, Vitoria, Thames

 _Strong Peeps Squad:_ Axis, Bravo, Rowena, Virgil

 _Awkward Acquaintances:_ Mark, Josie

 _Therapy and Friendship Squad:_ Brynnelle, Everleigh

 _Loners:_ Nestor, Kyliana, Christopher, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 1 (Nicolyn)

Virgil: 1 (Zeke)

Shana: 2 (Desdemona, Gaya)

Other: 2 (Paisley, Eagle)

* * *

 **17th place: Eagle Roseworth, District 10. Poisoned (but by who?)**

 **When I had the idea for items within the coconuts, I toyed with the possibility of what was supposed to be beneficial actually working against a tribute. While the poison was beneficial for Axis, it wasn't for Eagle. Whether the Gamemakers did this on purpose or not, one can simply guess. I think everyone guessed Eagle would die eventually, due to his rebel connections. He wasn't as high-key as Thessaly, and while his rebel stuff was fun to explore, there were other parts of him I enjoyed working with. Professor Boo.k, if you're reading this, thank you for Eagle. He wasn't the exact mold of a typical rebel tribute and had plenty of character to explore.**

* * *

 **So, that was Day 3. Bit by bit, the numbers shall dwindle, but we have plenty of tributes left and plenty of action awaiting us. Any guesses as to what Day 4 holds?**

 **Anyways, we surpassed Rebellious Fate's review count! I wans't too sure if would happen this early; I had predicted during later in the Games. But thank you for all the support and participation! It means an awful lot!**

 **See you all on Day 4!**


	33. Day 4: Should I Laugh Or Cry

**Hello! I'm back!**

* * *

 _Leonidas Argryis, 18_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

"We haven't gone this way yet," Victoria announced, pointing off in the distance. "We might find some tributes there."  
I shrugged. "If we walk along the coast, there won't be anything. We need to try going deeper into the arena. Do you think anybody will be dumb enough to hang so close to us?"  
"Worth a shot."

"I don't have an opinion," Challis said. "Whatever works, I guess."  
Victoria rolled her eyes. "Then what was the point of bringing you along? If I wanted someone to get on my nerves, I would've taken Thames with me and leave you guarding our supplies!"

Challis frowned and stepped forward. I put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back. "That's enough. We won't get anywhere if all we do is fight. Victoria, lead the way."  
Victoria muttered some curse words under her breath, but she straightened up and marched into the mess of trees. Challis and I followed close behind.

The air was quite humid. I could feel the sweat dripping down my back, my shirt clinging tightly to my skin. All I had was a backpack, filled with water, my trusty brass knuckles, a knife, and lunch. Challis swung his mace around. Victoria was carrying javelins, one in each hand. She led us with an aura of confidence, as if she knew what she was doing. Chances were, she had as much of a clue as we all did.

Eventually, we heard the sound of rushing water. Walking a littler further, we can across a river.

"It's kinda deep," Challis mused. "Should we cross-"  
"Yes," Victoria said. And that was that.  
"But can you swim?"

Victoria didn't answer right away. Her eyes simply scanned the surface of the water. I noticed a waterfall somewhere in the distance and a tree that had fallen over on the other side. Perhaps, we could make a bridge out of it.  
I slipped my bag off my shoulders and handed it to Challis. "I can swim."  
"Really?" Challis asked, but I didn't reply before carefully stepping into the river.

The water was a lot more shallow than I thought, coming just above my waist. It was nice and cold, too. The only challenge was walking across without slipping the slick, smooth rocks. The flow of the water churned against me, but I didn't lose my balance and climbed up onto the other side. There, I picked up the dead tree and turned it over.

Victoria made it onto the other side first, walking across nimbly, even with the weight of her backpack and weapons. Challis took a little longer.  
As we moved on, Victoria poked my arm. "So, you can swim, huh? Where would you learn that? Do you have golden pools in 1 that you can take a dip in?"

"No..." Whatever good mood I had been in, it started to fade away. "I just learned how...for reasons."  
Nobody pressed the issue. We moved on.

"So..." Challis decided to start up some conversation again. "What do you guys think of all the flowers? I like those yellow and red ones. They're cool."  
"I'm not big on flowers," Victoria muttered.  
"I don't really care...but if I had to choose a favourite...yeah, I have to go with the yellow-red ones too."

Challis grinned. "Yeah, Leonidas! You've got some good taste, my friend-" He stopped short when Victoria held her arm out in front of him. "What are you doing?"  
Victor just grinned. She cocked her head to one side, as if she was listening for something. I listened too... Just barely, I could make out faint sounds of birds, rustling leaves, heavy breathing from my allies, faint and distant voices...

"We're not alone," Victoria said.

* * *

 _Everleigh McArvin, 16_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

I felt awful.

A diet of stale water and a few berries was not enough. I was hungry. Brynn was hungry. We weren't on the verge of starvation, but we needed something. I had occasionally tried chewing on leaves, but that proved to be worthless.

To keep up our spirits, we told stories. Brynn shared all the information she could about her little sister, Olivia, and I put in a few tales about my big sister. Some of them were funny, some of them were heart-wrenching. But it helped lighten the mood. I was certainly feeling slightly better, knowing I wasn't completely alone. Whatever Brynn and I were facing, we were facing together.

"So, there was this one time...I don't know, I think I was like, twelve when it happened, but Olivia and I were walking home from school on a windy day." Brynn was walking in front of me, telling a new story. I quickly followed behind. "Really cold too. And all of a sudden...there as this big gust of wind...and it almost swept me right off my feet!"  
"It did?"

Brynn laughed. "Poor Olivia fell over. She was alright, though. Just a little stunned. The wind was a lot better afterwards..." She suddenly trailed off and stopped walking, glancing from left to right. Her eyes widened slightly.  
"What? What is it?"  
"I thought I heard something..." Brynn's voice was barely above a whisper. She went a silent again. I strained, hoping to listen for whatever she was hearing. Brynn let out a gasp and jumped in front of me. We were now face-to-face and she grabbed onto my shoulders. Tightly.

"Run."

I didn't need to hear that a second time. I turned myself around and ran. Heavy footsteps and loud panting suggested Brynn was right behind me, until it all stopped. I glanced back, and immediately wished I didn't.

Brynn wasn't running. She had stopped moving. A javelin had been thrown into her back; blood spilled from the wound and gathered at her feet. The rising and falling motion of chest was no more. Her eyes were losing focus. Then...she just simply slumped over and collapsed.

My own vision blurred; I realized I was crying. Somewhere in the trees, a girl cheered loudly. "I got one!"  
 _I need to get out of here._

My instinct told me to flee, so I fled. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Don't look back. Just keep going. I don't wanna die...I don't wanna die...where's Brynn...no, Brynn's not here anymore...she's gone, she's gone, she's gone...

I tripped over a rock and landed face-first in the sand. As I spit out sand particles, a cannon boomed out, shaking the arena as it did. I stood up, then noticed the gash on m leg; the rock must've cut it open. Fishing through pockets, I found the roll of bandages, patched up my wound, then sat crossed-legged for a while.

Then came the tears.

* * *

 _Rowena Marius, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Lunchtime!" Virgil announced.

I pulled out the three packs of dried fruit, and one pack of fried beef strips. Keeping the beef for myself, I passed out the rest of the packs. Bravo ripped his open and shook some fruit into his hand. I counted a few dried cranberries, some peaches, and raisins.

Virgil seemed a bit disappointed with the food, but ate it anyways. Axis picked at her rations; she was often sitting by herself now, staring off into space, usually with a frown on her face. I wondered what she was thinking about. She never really talked to us anymore.

Bravo leaned over. "Wanna talk strategy?"  
"Sure."  
"I've been counting the cannons. Keeping track. Seven on the first day we got here. One yesterday. One this morning. That makes nine. Subtract nine from twenty-four, and you get fifteen."

"So?"  
Bravo shrugged. "All I'm pointing out is that there's only 15 of us left."  
"We can hear you punks," Virgil said loudly. "If you're gonna whisper, be a bit more discreet!"

"None of your business!" I snapped.  
Bravo rolled his eyes. "We're just talking about the number of tributes left. I don't see a problem with that."

Virgil was now right beside us. "And you know what? I think there's too many of us left. Look, we're a big group. And we should have no problem picking weaker tributes off."  
As much as I disliked agreeing with Virgil, he did have a point. We couldn't just sit here and watch the others die one by one. We had the weapons. We had the numbers. We had the ability to take matters into our own hands.

"You think we can do it?" I asked.  
"Oh Rowena, you certainly can. Just use those charms of yours to draw them in...and BAM! They won't know what hit them into you plant a spear in their stomach. Or, you can just get Bravo to sneak up behind them. It'll be easy."

Bravo and I exchanged looks. Something about murder being described as easy was a bit unsettling. "And Axis?" Bravo pondered.  
"What about her?" Virgil scoffed. "Look, if you ask me, I think she's our weak link. She hasn't talked to me in two days. All she does is sit still and look pretty. Really, that's all she contributes. Just a little pretty face. I suppose it's cute, but it's not helping our case much."

This didn't surprise me. For a while, when he thought she wasn't listening, Virgil constantly mentioned how he thought all Axis was doing was just looking cute for the cameras. And I had to admit, I thought she was kinda cute. But everything was going deeper. Right now, Axis was watching us, overhearing every little detail of our little conversation. Overhearing Virgil's shallow opinions of her.

When we packed up to leave, she was glaring at him.

* * *

 _Kyliana Carter, 15_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

This wasn't the way things were supposed to be going.

I was supposed to fight through with Seine. We would stay together. When Seine was gone, I still had Eagle and we worked. Together. There had never been just and Kyliana. It had always been Kyliana with someone. Together with someone. I had never been alone.

Here I was, so far away from my friends and family, with no shoulder left to cry one. Loved ones. Gone. Allies. Gone. Kyliana has no together. Kyliana is alone.

Alone was such a struggle. I didn't want to be alone. that first night, the night when I watched Seine die in front of me and saw her face shining in the sky, I felt alone. But Eagle was there. He was there to comfort me and make me feel better. I didn't have that anymore. I had seen both of my allies perish at my feet, and there was nobody to help me cope.

What was I even looking for, anyways?

Was I looking for acceptance? Seine was perfectly okay with the fact that unlike most girls I knew...well...I...never chase guys like they did. Eagle also seemed fine with it. Was I looking for comfort? Someone to be there for me, like Eagle was? Did I just want a friend?

The Sun slipped lower into the sky now. I just watched. I had done practically nothing all day. What was there to do? What motivation did I have? All I did was sit there. And mourn.  
The sunset was beautiful though. I found myself imagining a scene in which Seine was next to me, doodling away, trying to capture the sky above with a pencil. How unfair she never got to experience this! How she had been taken away way too quickly to find time and catch the sights of the arena.

I didn't have much with me, just two water bottles that were almost empty, plus a spike I found inside a coconut. It had been good for drilling holes into coconuts but other than that, I couldn't name any uses. I was too tired to think about that. Too tired to think about anything. I had been completely out of it all day.

Curling up a small ball, I closed my eyes.

I couldn't fall asleep...

I was scared.

Scared of the darkness overwhelming me.

 _I don't wanna be alone..._

* * *

 _Current Alliances (I swear, this list gets smaller and smaller every single time):_

 _Careers Plus a Pipsqueak:_ Leonidas, Challis, Victoria, Thames

 _Strong Peeps Squad, but with Tension:_ Axis, Bravo, Rowena, Virgil

 _Awkward Acquaintances:_ Mark, Josie

 _Loners:_ Nestor, Everleigh, Kyliana, Christopher, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 2 (Brynnelle, Nicolyn)

Shana: 2 (Desdemona, Gaya)

Other: 2 (Paisley, Eagle)

* * *

 **16th place: Brynnelle Levitt, District 5. Javelin to the back by Victoria.**

 **That seems to be Victoria's signature move, no? I did enjoy working with Brynn. She had a dramatic family history, often finding her caught in the middle. In the arena, where she was separated by her family, she found herself in a situation to start opening up with others. Without her mother to be wary of, and her sister to look out for, Brynn gained a bit more independence. She found some common ground with Everleigh, and their alliance was cute. RedRoses100, if you're reading this, thanks for Brynn! She was great addition to the story and fun to explore.**

* * *

 **As OLs's anniversary slowly approaches, this is a nice way to start a new month. Anyways, happy belated spooky month! Did you all have a fun October?**

 **I would've liked the upload OLS on the 14th, in order to celebrate the story's anniversary, but I don't think I'd have a chapter ready in such a short time and I don't want to completely swamp everyone with too many uploads. On top of that, I have other stories and my partial SYOT too. But hey, better early than never.**

 **See you all on Day 5!**


	34. Day 5: Knowing Me, Knowing You

**Happy very, very, very belated birthday to OLS! It feels kinda weird knowing how quickly time passes.**

* * *

 _Nestor Barde, 14_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

When I woke up, I was covered in sand.

Not just normal sand. Normal, dusty sand that fell off when I stood up. Wet sand. Wet, dirty, muddy, caked-on sand clinging to my clothes, skin, and hair. I had been using a rock for a pillow and the top of it was soaking wet. It must've rained last night. Great.

I grasped at my clothes, desperately brushing the stupid sand away, but more just seemed to cling on. Eventually, I just gave up and polished off the last of my bread for breakfast. There wasn't much left anyways and if I tried to ration it, I'd probably starve to death or something.

Of course, now I had nothing left. No food, no water, nothing. All my bread was gone and I had tried slurping water form little streams, but it was never enough. Too bad I hadn't been awake for that damn rainfall. Getting at least a little bit of water inside my system would help.  
I had never gone this long without water before. Sure, life on the streets of District 6 was hell, but at least there was stuff to eat and drink. Casey and I could just raid an abandoned building and take money from whatever poor sucker happened to run into us.

 _Unless...I can find a poor sucker in here to give food and water to me.  
_ Sure, picking a fight was stupid. Picking a fight in an arena full a bunch of psycho killers was extra stupid. But if doing something stupid could keep me alive, then damn, why not? Plus, putting up a fight was something I was really good at.

Tonight. I was going out tonight. Tonight, I'd find my victim, and I'd get rid of them. I had a pair of knives, which gave me weapons to work with. Just a quick slice across the throat or something. They'd never suspect it was me. By then, it would be too late.

Turns out, I didn't have to wait until nightfall to find a target. Two tributes, a boy and a girl who were both older than me, were just walking together in plain sight. I peered at them from a bush and made plans to target the male, who was carrying an axe. The second they got closer, I jumped, slashing my knives wildly.

The female's arm lurched back and something flew from her hand into my face. It smashed. Glass shards blinded me and I was drenched in the contents. Something wet, most likely blood, dripped down the side of my forehead. My eyes watered as I tried to wipe the stuff off my face.

Then everything began to burn.

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

We ran. We ran until I was starting to feel tired and a cannon shot out. Axis collapsed form exhaustion. I just stared at her. "You killed him. How did you do that?"  
"I...I didn't."  
"Yes you did. You threw something at him and killed him...or at the very least hurt him. I never even knew you had that bottle on you!"

Hands shaking, Axis climbed to her feet. She avoided eye contact. "Let's just go find the others. We were only supposed to be looking for food."  
Retracing our steps seemed pointless. The sand was so roughed up, I couldn't find our footsteps anywhere. The whole time, Axis was quiet. Maybe she was just a bit shaken up; after all, she had just thrown a bottle of something at a guy and ended up killing him. I decided to try and lighten the mood a bit.

"Actually, that was some nice stuff back there, Axis. Really neat trick; I didn't see it coming! Heh, you're as deadly as you are beautiful, isn't that right?"  
Axis stopped. "Beautiful, huh? Just another pretty face. Is that all you see me as?"  
"What!? No, it was just a compliment. Can't you take a compliment-"

Axis lunged at me. My axe dropped from my hand and she grabbed me. Her nails dug into my cheek. Her other hand was grabbing at my neck; I shook my head, but I couldn't get her off. "Is that what you think, Virgil!? That I'm just another pretty face!? That I'm worthless!? That I'm nothing!? I'm fucking nothing!?"

She was crying too. I stumbled backward, and tripped. Axis landed on top of me, still holding my neck and trying to punch at me with her other hand. "I'm as deadly as you! I'm ten times as deadly as you! I killed him...damn, I killed him. I'll kill you too! I'll fucking kill you! You all thought I was something glitzy, pretty face, but you're wrong and I'll kill you! I'm poison and you can't stop me!"

 _She's going to kill me..._

I twisted. Hard. I ended up doing a roll in the sand, lying on my stomach. But Axis refused to let go. Her eyes were clouded with tears and she was snarling. There was blood caked underneath her fingernails. My blood.

 _I'm going to die._

I shot my hand out...grabbing at sand, clawing...desperate...the axe! Once the handle was within reach, I held on. Tightly. Then swung it around. Axis obscured my vision greatly as she flipped me over and snarled. Her fist flew around and collided with my face. I felt a burst of pain. One of us screamed. The axe missed her completely and only slightly grazed her shoulder. It wasn't enough. She was on top of me and I was going to die.

Axis lurched forward and finally, I caught a glimpse of the axe's blade behind her. I brought it down as hard as I could, just as she spit in my face and reared for another punch. My eyes watered and I shut them tight.

Suddenly, Axis rolled off me. I opened my eyes. My axe had struck her in the back. She curled up tightly, shivering and mumbling weakly to herself. Her face was covered in tears, sweat, snot and a bit of dried blood. I stood up, then proceeded to yank the axe from her back. Red squirted everywhere.

"I'm not saying you're just a pretty face," I whispered. "You're a killer. But you forgot something. I'm a killer too."

Axis let out a bloodcurdling howl. That was my cue. I ran in the direction we had come. I didn't stop running until I made my way back to our little base, where Rowena and Bravo were eating lunch. they both looked up at me.  
Rowena frowned. "What's up with you? We heard a cannon; do you know who died? You look tired. And...where's Axis?"

* * *

 _Bravo Turner, 15  
District 4 Male Tribute_ _  
_

* * *

Virgil stumbled over to a rock, then sat down. "We...we came across a tribute. The boy from 6, maybe? I'm not sure. But he attacked us, so Axis...I didn't show had it but she threw a vial of something at him...it killed him, but not before he got to her first...he had knives, we didn't see it coming...I tried to save her but it was too late..."

"Your face is all scratched up," I told him.  
"I told you, it was that boy! He had knives!"  
"But I thought he went after Axis first!"

Virgil sighed. "He did...that didn't mean he didn't come after me once he was done with her. That's when she threw the vial at him."

Something was clearly not adding up here. Axis and Virgil get attacked, Axis dies, but also has time to take out the killer with a weapon nobody knew she had? Virgil ends up with marks on his face? Attempts to help Axis? What kind of attempts? I only heard one cannon this morning. Where was her cannon?

"If you're expecting us to believe those scratches came form knives, then you need to spin a better lie. Those looks like they're form fingernails." Rowena purred. "Trust me, I know."  
"Just tell us the truth, Virgil."  
"Why would I lie to you guys? Do you not trust-"

Virgil was cut off by a cannon booming overhead. I just folded my arms. "I'd say I have a perfectly valid reason not to trust you."  
"You...you don't understand, I-"  
I didn't need to hear this excuse. I grabbed our supplies and started shoving everything into the backpacks. "Rowena. Let's get out of here. I'm not allying with a murderous liar."

As Rowena helped me pack up, Virgil's face was growing redder by the minute. The injuries didn't help. He just pointed his axe at me. "You're...you're making a big mistake! You need me in this alliance more than I need you. I know what I'm doing. Without me, you won't survive. You won't!"

Rowena chuckled. "Aw, that's cute. He's begging for us to stay with him. Anyways, you ready to leave?"  
"Let's go."

Virgil made a spluttering noise, but I didn't bother paying him any attention. We were done with him. Was this alliance going to last forever? Well, no. It was doomed to fall apart at some point. Sure that came a little earlier than expected, but it was way easier to split up then to stay with someone who would have no doubts about slaughtering me in my sleep.

Rowena jostled my shoulder. "Just you and me, buddy. Just you and me."  
"Let's make the most of it, then."

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

If we could just figure out how to set up our trap, then it would hopefully do us some good. Yesterday, the trap caught nothing. The only food we found was a bat sleeping in the trees above us. The poor thing didn't stand a chance once Josie pelted it with a rock and starting cutting it open while I attempted to light a fire. Bat had a very strange taste.

Josie had plans to spend the day hunting for food. I wanted to try and get our trap working. Tying a loop in the rope, I tried tying the other end to the tree. The loop suddenly came undone and landed on top of my foot. I redid it, then took a step back to figure out my plan.

I didn't spend an awful lot of time working with traps during training. I knew the basics, but that was about it. I just stared at the rope, tracing the weaving patterns with my eyes, as if it would magically make an idea pop into my head. Maybe I needed to make the loop smaller, or tie it to something else, rather than a tree. What fi I needed to cut it in half? No, that was a bad idea. I would never be able to put the halves back together.

I picked up the water bottle Josie left behind for me. Sticking it in the loop, I pulled the knot along, making the loop smaller until it was snugly around the water bottle. Then, I grabbed the other end of the rope and pulled. The water bottle was lifted slightly from the ground and the knot became tighter.

I couldn't help but grin at my progress. Sure the trap wasn't fully functional yet, but at least we were getting somewhere. Now that I had an idea in mind, I could just expand on it. I took a quick sip of water before screwing the lid tightly on the water bottle and picked apart the knot. I rearranged the rope's position on the tree, so I could hide in the cover of the leaves. There, I found a small sapling and had the idea to attach it to the rope.

As I worked, I overheard the noises of the arena. The faint sounds of waves crashing onto the land. Trees rustling. Birds frantically cawing. Once everything was set up, I cleared some leaves out of my way so I had a good view of the water bottle, then pulled on the rope. The sapling broke in half and the water bottle barely moved. So that didn't work out like expected.

"MARK!"

 _Josie!_ I quickly jumped up from the leaves. "Josie! Are you okay?"  
"Am I okay!?" Josie scowled. She was holding some fish in her hands. "I heard the cannons, so I came back to check on you. But I couldn't find you anywhere! I tried calling for you, but you didn't respond!"

My cheeks turned red and I decided not to admit that I had mistaken Josie's voice for the birds. "I'm...sorry. I didn't hear you..."  
"Dammit Mark!" Josie was blinking rapidly now and I realized she was trying to hold back tears. "Dammit, you deaf idiot! I thought you were dead!"

Something about her words stung and my heart felt heavy. "I...didn't realize...you cared that much about me."  
"I don't!" Josie slapped my arm with one of the fish. "I'm only your ally because I can get some use out of you, Not because I care about you! But here's a fish. Make it taste good."

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Careers Plus a Pipsqueak:_ Leonidas, Challis, Victoria, Thames

 _D4 Loyalty:_ Bravo, Rowena

 _Still Very Awkward:_ Mark, Josie

 _Oof:_ Virgil

 _Loners:_ Everleigh, Kyliana, Christopher, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 2 (Brynnelle, Nicolyn)

Axis: 1 (Nestor)

Virgil: 2 (Axis, Zeke)

Shana: 2 (Desdemona, Gaya)

Other: 2 (Paisley, Eagle)

* * *

 **15th place: Nestor Barde, District 6. Poisoned by Axis.**

 **Although you'll probably still live if you rinse your eyes and skin after getting in contact with poison, Nestor didn't really have access to clean water, or most likely didn't know that fact, so he ends up with a long, brutal death at the hands of the vial. I liked exploring him and his temper a lot and while a kid on the streets of District 6 is something everyone's already seen before, he was quite a detailed character. It only took one bad decision to do him in. Thank you Golden Moon Huntress for the wild little Nestor and you still have Mark to cheer on!**

 **14th place: Axis LeBouvier, District 3. Back slashed open and left to bleed out by Virgil.**

 **Axis had quite a few identity issues. Having parentage from different districts, as well as feeling self-conscious about her appearance and being known as the "pretty one" within her alliance really put a damper on her self-confidence. With a secret weapon up her sleeve and a kill to her name, Axis was able to prove she can be just as deadly as her allies. However, her confidence crumbled and she snapped. Thank you Oli2fab4u for Axis and I hope that you'll continue reading this story to see what happens next.**

* * *

 **Tensions are rising! Alliances are breaking apart!**

 **Anyways, OLS's anniversary has passed and I'm kinda surprised. It doesn't feel like it. Anyways, hope you guys liked this chapter and I'll see you all on Day 6!**


	35. Day 6: Andante Andante

_Victoria Mason, 17_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

The heat was unbearable.

For whatever reason, the Gamemakers decided to turn up the temperature today. I was already a sweaty mess when I woke up. The sand was scorching, so I kept on my socks and shoes, pretending not to notice the smell. The boys seemed really slow today. The Sun was getting to everyone.

But a little increase in temperature was no excuse to slack off. "Come on guys. Time to go hunting."  
Challis yawned. "I dunno...it's so much cooler inside the Cornucopia. Can't we stay in there?"

"We don't have time to hang out inside metal horns! We found no tributes yesterday! They're all still out there!"  
Leonidas lounged in the shade provided by the Cornucopia. Thames had filled a little mug with seawater and proceeded to dump the contents all over his head. Challis munched on an energy bar. Nobody made a move to pack up. Nobody seemed to care that we were wasting precious time lounging about and doing nothing.

"Are you kidding me!?"  
"Victoria," Leonidas said. "We can rest for just one day. It's hot out. You might get dehydrated."  
"We'll bring along plenty of water! And we have filters and iodine tablets."  
"There's also overexertion," Thames said casually, pointing at me with his mug. "You know, exhaustion. Heat stroke? Or something." I glared at him and he awkwardly gazed at the sand, before going back to dumping seawater on his head.

"I'm outnumbered, aren't I?"  
Challis gave me a goofy grin. He quickly polished off the rest of his energy bar, then crumpled up the wrapper into a little ball and started tossing it into the air. He gestured dramatically towards the mouth of the Cornucopia. "Welcome to the Man Cave."

"How bad does it smell in there?"  
"Could be worse."  
"Great."

Covering my nose with my shirt, I slumped down next to Challis. It did feel a lot cooler without the Sun shining in my face. I could tell we were going nowhere. Fine. Let today be a lazy day. A day just to relax and keep the heat off our faces. Challis smirked and handed me a thermos of water. I drained a third of it almost instantly.

"Fine...so, what now?"  
Challis stretched. "Just relax! We can talk, play games. Wanna look for a deck of cards?"  
"Uhh..." I glanced over my shoulder."Where would you even find cards in all this mess?"

"It's somewhere...I think. I haven't seen it since yesterday."  
"We have quite a lot of stuff. Maybe we should organize it."

"Huh." Challis tapped his chin in thought. "I mean, I like it this way. I know where everything is."  
"Well, you'll like it better when things are neater. Thames!"

Thames almost dropped his mug. "Yeah?"  
"Get to it."

Thames gave me an exaggerated salute. Challis snickered.

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

"More fish, Josie?" Mark offered me the remains of his food.  
"That's supposed to be your lunch."  
Mark glanced at the fish sheepishly. "Too much fish gives me an upset stomach."

"Fine." I polished off the remains. The fish wouldn't last long anyways, knowing our luck. "Has your trap worked?"  
"No. Not yet."  
"Dammit."

Mark drained the last of his water. "Then we have to go hunting. And refill our water bottles."  
"Or maybe we need to work on your trap. It's useless right now."  
"You really want to eat bat again?"

I made a face. "Absolutely not."

Mark checked his trap one last time, before resetting it. Then we were off. I led the way to the waterfall, where we filled up our bottles and added the iodine drops to purify them.  
As I knelt by the river, Mark shoved everything back into the bags. "We're down to only five drops."  
"We'll worry about that later. Right now, we worry about food."

Sure enough, the fish were swimming about. I stuck my hand into the water. The fish clearly didn't think I was a threat, so they swam over and nibbled on my fingers. I grabbed at one and pulled it from the water, tossing it on the ground beside me. It flopped about.

Mark nodded. "Impressive."  
"Oh, relax. And help me out here."

I stuck my hand in the water again. Mark did the same. Some fish swam over to him. Mark grimaced as they surrounded his fingers. "They're harmless, right?"  
"What are you complaining about? It doesn't hurt! It feels like they're kissing you."  
"Yeah. I guess it does."

I grabbed a second fish, then a third. Easy. Mark found one, but it slipped away. He tried again and was finally able to pull out the fish, before he dropped it back into the water. The cycle continued. There was something amusing about watching him trying to catch something, only for it to slip away, but I would never let him know that. Instead, I pretending to be occupied with catching more fish.

"I got one." Mark lifted up a squirming fish by the fins. He tossed it onto the pile, which was growing fast.  
"Nice."  
"Are you proud?"

I just shrugged. "Yeah, sure. I'm proud. Oh, stop grinning. It's not funny!"  
"Alright, alright, it's not. I'm sorry."  
"Humph."

 _If I slap him with the fish, he deserves it._

* * *

 _Everleigh McArvin, 16_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _I'm going to die. I'm going to die._

How could anybody fail so much at anything?

 _I'm going to die._

Unless, of, course, you were me.

 _You're going to die._

I had nothing. No food, no water. I didn't even know what to look for. All I could do was just stumble about, hoping I found something.  
I was going to die. I was going to die because I was too dumb to survive.

 _What do you have left? A dagger? You don't even know how to use it. It's garbage. Worthless. You're worthless-_

"Stop."

 _Shut up._

"N-no. You shut up." I pressed my hands over my ears. "I'm not...I'm...I'm not worthless. I can do this!"  
The disembodied voice inside my head cackled. I shut my eyes. I didn't want to see it, hear it, or feel it. I wanted it to leave me alone.

 _Look at you. You're thin. Too thin. I bet your ribs are gonna start showing soon. You're looking worse and worse by the day._

"Stop! I...I can't help it!"

 _I can see your-_

"Fuck off! Go away! Leave me alone!"  
I bumped into something rough. A tree. I kept my eyes shut. It felt like the world was spinning round and round. I wanted to throw up. I didn't dare to open my eyes because I knew that voice, its presence, would be right there. It was not going to win. I couldn't let it win! I had built myself up so much, finally became the person I always wanted to be, and now everything was going to crash and burn, leaving me to die on this stupid beach.

 _It's all a bunch of lies. You're doomed._

"I'm not going to die." I felt a palm leaf brush against my cheek. I ripped it off and let it crumble in my hands. "I can't die. Not here. Not now."

 _Yes you are._

"No."  
Somewhere, I found the courage to open my eyes. I was alone. Good. Nothing was coming for me.

 _You can't get rid of me forever. You can't escape your fate. You're going to die._

"No. Stop. You're not real. You...you can't tell me what to do. I'm not dying."  
I waited for the voice to come back. It didn't.

"I'm not dying today."

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

Those damn District 4 kids.

Fine. _Fine!_ I didn't need them. Allies were just a bonus. I was perfectly capable of doing this on my own and I didn't need those brats slowing me down. They'd learn. They'd learn they made a dumb mistake. I'd kill them and they'd all learn.

That didn't change the fact I was screwed.

My stomach growled. I hadn't eaten a single thing since yesterday morning, before Axis and I left to hunt. All I had was this stupid axe. No matter what I tried, I still couldn't scrub the dried blood off. Axis's dried blood. My face hurt. Whatever medical supplies I used to have, Bravo and Rowena took with them.

"W-whatever. It's just a stupid scratch. Man the fuck up, Virgil. It's no big deal. You're fine. You'll survive."  
Stomping through the arena, I started playing a little game. Pretending everything was fine. Pretending I was still leading my alliance. Pretending I didn't have scratches all over my face. Pretending I wasn't alone.

I got lucky when I came across a goat.

My stomach growled even louder this time and the goat ran off. I chased after it. This was an opportunity to get some food and I was not letting this animal escape under my nose like that. The goat was a lot faster than I was and had no problems escaping onto rocky terrain.  
"Oh...you are not making things easier for me."

I threw the axe at the goat and missed. It hit a rock instead. The goat tried to dart past me, but this time, I grabbed it.  
"Yes!"

The goat bleated and kicked about. I felt one of its hooves against my leg. Pain shot through me and I tried to ignore it as I reached for the axe. One, two, three quick blows and it was all over. This was too easy now. Someone was going to be eating goat for dinner.  
"I did it. I did it! Ha! Who's the screwed one now?"

I began to separate the meat from the hide. Then, I carried everything with me as I ran to the sandy part of the arena. Nobody was around to watch me dunk the fur into the water, washing away the blood. I cut off a small strip and wrapped it around the bruise on my leg. A pathetic excuse for a bandage, but beggars can't be choosers. Plus, the fur would probably come in handy for later or something.

"There we go. Oh, they're gonna see how useless they are without me. Now...how am I gonna cook this?"

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Sweaty Careers Plus a Pipsqueak:_ Leonidas, Challis, Victoria, Thames

 _D4 Loyalty:_ Bravo, Rowena,

 _Still very awkward but at least they're an alliance that doesn't try to kill each other:_ Mark, Josie

 _Loners:_ Everleigh, Kyliana, Christopher, Virgil, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 2 (Brynnelle, Nicolyn)

Axis: 1 (Nestor)

Virgil: 2 (Axis, Zeke)

Shana: 2 (Desdemona, Gaya)

Other: 2 (Paisley, Eagle)

* * *

 **A bit of a lull in the action here, but some days are gonna be slow. After all, it would be boring if everyone died within the first few days. Figured I'd give the tributes a break after last chapter and with the heat, a few of the tributes wouldn't be interested in moving around much anyways.**

 **On another note, I've got a Discord server set up for OLS, as well as my other SYOTs. If you're interested, PM me and I can send you the link.**

 **See you all on Day 7!**


	36. Day 7: Like an Angel Passing

**For those of you who felt that last chapter was the calm before the storm, you were right.**

* * *

 _Bravo Turner, 15_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Four empty water bottles, ten iodine drops...no food. We have to go hunting."  
Rowena ran her fingers through her hair, then frowned when they got stuck in the tangles. "Easy. Just get us some more coconuts. There's plenty of them."

That sounded good to me. After spending a few minutes knocking down coconuts and carving them open, we managed to replenish our food supply. Rowena and I each dug into a half, drinking the milk and pulling off pieces of the flesh. As we packed up, we ran into a slight problem. We had no space in our bags to shove the coconuts in. I didn't feel like carrying them either.

Rowena dug through the supplies. "Let's see...can we get rid of something we don't need...like the tarp?"  
"Are you kidding me? We need the tarp!"  
"For what? I don't see you using it."

"For..." I gave it some thought. "What if we just dump all the coconuts in there? We can tie a knot and one of us can just drag the tarp behind us. Then, there's more room in the bags."  
"Bravo, you're a genius! Why did I think of that sooner?"

Easier said than done. The tarp was huge and hard enough to drag on its own, especially after it was weighed down by coconuts and crossing the rough and uneven sand. But I preferred that over carrying everything on my back. A spinal injury would be pretty unwelcome.  
Rowena marched in front of me, hefting her spear. She seemed pretty happy today. "This way to water! I think...whatever, we'll figure it out."

After a long march, we didn't seem to be any closer towards water. That didn't discourage Rowena. She turned around and led me in a different direction...until we heard distant voices and both of us stopped moving. I wanted to hide, but I couldn't risk any noises. The tarp would certainly alert the tributes of our location. The voices echoed in and out of earshot; I only caught bits of the conversation.

"...hurry up!"  
"I'm coming...coming!"  
"Let's go...way this time."

There was a huff of annoyance form one of them, then they were gone. Rowena lowered her spear. "It's that power alliance."  
"Which one?"  
"You know...the alliance between District 1 and 2? The ones killing everybody back on Day 1?"

The memories came flooding back. "I see. I'm guessing that we might not be too far from their base if we were able to run across them. There's a lot of space in here."  
"We should go after them!"  
"Are you crazy!?"

Rowena flashed me a smile. "We need to thin out the competition somehow."  
"Fine, but there's at least three of them. We don't know what kind of weapons they might have. Even if we attack them by surprise, they still have a good chance of overpowering us."  
"Honestly, you're no fun. But I wanna get closer to their base. That way, when time comes to kill them-"

"If."  
Rowena sighed. "Bravo, I can't tell whether or not it's intentional how much you suck at this. We've gotten far standing around and doing all of Virgil's bidding, but it's just us now. That's gotten boring; we really can't lie about any longer. We need to take action! If we start eliminating some of the other tributes, we're proving ourselves to be contenders. And there's less of a risk of us getting attacked. It would be better in the long run."

"Are the risks really worth the trouble?"  
"Well, I think they are."

I understood where Rowena was coming from. I understood her strategy. Part of me agreed, but another part was still on the fence. "I have a better idea. We should try and camp as close to their base as we can, without them noticing. Study their tactics, their routine, stuff like that. We could try training each other to learn their signature moves so we know how defend ourselves against them. And at some point...maybe when they're all sleeping...we can launch a surprise attack. But without either of us dying."

Rowena tapped her chin in thought. "That's...that's crazy enough to work. See Bravo, this is what I'm taking about! We're taking risks, we're making plans. Come on, let's go set up camp before they come back."

* * *

 _Kyliana Carter, 15_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

 _I can see my rib._

My clothes felt bigger than they did a few days ago. I lifted up my shirt and examined my chest. It looked thinner then I remembered and there was a small lump of skin visible. A bone. My bone. I poked it and instantly recoiled at my own touch.

Picking up my water bottle, I sloshed around the water inside it. Half full. Half empty. Didn't matter. It would all be gone within the next day and I'd have nothing left. Time to go look...for something. Food. Water. Anything. Anything to keep me alive and kicking.

Get up. Move about. Look around. Find a bush, no edible berries. Find a line in the sand, no water trickling through. Tip the water bottle as much as you can, hoping to catch a drop of something. Tip back the spile, looking for a drop of liquid you may have missed. You hear an animal. You can't find it, you can't catch it. You want to climb the jagged trees to reach what's at the top, but you can't.

Your stomach feels empty. You feet feel heavy. Everything has been drained from you. Physically, mentally, emotionally. You don't even know what's happening anymore, just going through the motions. You would cry yourself to sleep over your situation, but you're just too tried. Everything about you screams tired. You're so tired, you could drop dead and never wake up.

Yet you keep on surviving.

It would be easy to just die, wouldn't it? I could just die. I was already on my journey to death's door. But I didn't want to die, not yet.

If I died, I'd let everyone down. My parents, my brother. My friends. My district. Seine...oh Seine...what would she say if she knew I gave up and died because I couldn't handle not having an ally next to me? Eagle...what would he think, if he knew I rolled over and let myself go because I couldn't stand being alone?

What would I think about myself?

As usual, I wandered about, looking, looking. Look for something, beneath that tree, behind that rock. Nothing. It's always nothing. There's nothing there for you. Just move on with your life and keep searching because you haven't looked over here yet and-

 _Someone's here._

I saw them before they saw me. I only a brief glimpse of dark brown skin and a shiny blade before they ducked behind a large rock wall, leaving me standing by myself.  
"Um...hello?"  
I got no reply.

"Hi..." My voice sounded hoarse. "I...I don't believe we've met before...I'm Kyliana...from District 7. Remember?"  
All I could see was the hand holding the blade. A hatchet. It shook slightly. The other person didn't reply.

"I'm sorry...you probably think I'm going to kill you. I'm not! I swear! It's just...it's nice having someone to talk to again."  
Half a face peered at me. The brown eye blinked. I noticed the dark circles underneath it this person looked as exhausted as I felt.

"You must be...I'm not sure. I'm sorry."  
the face disappeared as the person jumped back, out of my view.

"Wait, wait! I said I was...okay...I'm going to approach, okay? I'll be slow. If...just tell me, right? We don't...we just have to talk."

I put one foot then, and the other right in front of it. Bit by bit, I made my way towards the tribute. Slowly, carefully. They peeked out at me again and their eyes narrowed.  
"Are...are you alright? Can I do something to help-"

Suddenly, I felt something slam into my chest and the world exploded with pain.

* * *

 _Everleigh McArvin, 16_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

BOOM!

 _Shit, shit, shit!_

Some sort of instinct kicked in and I found myself running for my life. Someone was dead. Someone was dead, killed by an unseen force and now, they were coming for me!

 _What are you running from!? You're all by yourself! Nobody cares enough to try and come kill you! And so what, another tribute bit the dust. Big stinkin' deal. You're in the Hunger Games, honey. You've seen it before. You know how this works._

"No! Stop! Leave me alone! I'm not gonna die!"

In my haste to escape, to get away from whatever was after me, I tripped. Dazed I stumbled to my feet. "Ow...oh no."  
I tripped over a human leg.

I got to my feet and immediately felt the urge to vomit. The remains of a dead girl were all around me.  
"Ky...Kyliana!?"

It wasn't my district partner. It wasn't Kyliana. It was a corpse that looked like her, with a giant gash in the forehead and severed limbs. The arms and legs lay far away from the rest of her body, as it her killer tossed them about once they hacked them off. Her body had been ripped open; I could see some of the internal organs showing through. Her head had also been chopped off from her torso and her face permanently stuck in an expression of pain.

"Oh Kyliana...who in Panem did this to you?"

Careful not to step on her remains, I reached over and pressed my fingers against her eyes, forcing them shut. If she wasn't so mangled, she would've looked like she was in a peaceful eternal sleep. I bowed my head and moved on.

A small tear trickled down the side of my face. I brushed it away and continued to stumble about. Suddenly, I stepped on something soft but narrow and my foot slipped off it. I glanced down; rope circled my foot. Before I even had a chance to react, it tightened and I felt myself flying upwards before I jerked to a sudden stop and slammed against a tree. Hard.

I wanted to scream. The tree's rough edges tore at my clothes and skin. There was something dripping down my back. I caught sight of tree from the corner of my eye.  
It had my blood smeared all over it.

"Mark!? Mark! It worked!"

A young girl eagerly ran up to me, the bag on her back bouncing up in down. She gave me a sly grin. "I can't believe it. That dumbass actually invented something that worked."  
"Let me down! Let me down!"  
"Josie?" A slightly older boy, perhaps Mark, approached us. He fiddled with something in his ear. "Oh, I didn't think...oh my god."

"Please!" I tried to grab at the rope around my foot. I couldn't. "Let me go, please! I'll do anything! I'll give you all I have!"  
A hand slipped into my pocket and pulled out my dagger. "It's not like you have much," Josie said. "But I'll be keeping this. Mark, get our dagger!"

"Yeah..." Mark hesitated. "Alright...let's...let's bring her down-"  
"Yes, please! Put me down! I'll do anything!"  
"Are you kidding!? The one time your stupid trap finally worked and now you want to give your game away!?"

My back felt like it was on fire. "No! You can't! You can't kill me! I don't wanna die!"  
"I can't kill her, Josie!"  
"She's going to die anyways! Look at all that blood!"

Blood!? To my horror, the blood was traveling down my body and dripping onto the sand. I felt slightly dizzy. Oh shit...oh please, no...no!  
"I can't...I can't do this..."  
"Hurry up, you idiot! Would you rather you let her painfully bleed out all over the place!? She's not going to survive!"  
"I...I..."

 _I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die-_

"Please don't! Don't kill me!"  
Mark gripped the dagger with shaking hands.  
"Please no...I don't wanna die...please...no..."

"I'm so sorry."

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _What have I done!?_

I killed someone. I slit the dagger across her throat and thought nothing of it. I killed and it all seemed to easy. But it wasn't. I wanted to scream, wanted to cry, wanted to punch the tree, wanted to run away from everything and throw myself into the water.

"Is...is she really...?"  
Josie finished the deed with a plunge of a dagger into the heart. Th cannon sounded off right after. "She didn't have to suffer for long."  
"I...I killed someone."

"Mark."

I killed someone. Me. I killed an innocent who was already on the verge of death and had nothing, yet I went and took away her life because I thought she would suffer less. Did she suffer? I had no idea. But what a coward I was. I could've let her go, like she wanted, and she could've died in peace, not spending her final moments in my stupid trap with my dagger in her face!

"Mark?"

She probably died hating me. Her district probably hated me. Her family...her friends, she had people rooting for her to come back alive, just like I did. And I forced them all to watch her die. I tortured them, leaving her hanging and bleeding out in my trap while I debated which way I was going to kill her and I still didn't make the right decision!

Josie grabbed my arm. "Mark!"

"Don't touch me!"

I slipped in the sand and tumbled over. With trembling arms and sweaty palms, I grabbed the dagger and pointed it at my chest. Josie's eyes flew wide. "What are you doing!? Stop!"  
I'm a murder...what have I done...I'm a murder.

hands grabbed my wrists. Josie. She wrestled the dagger form my grasp and threw it in the sand beside her. Clutching each other's hands, we lay on the ground. Josie was muttering something. I couldn't hear her at all. Minutes passed. They felt much longer than that.

Finally, Josie spoke. "I killed her too."  
"I know."  
"I'm just as guilty as you."  
"You're awfully calm."

"Well...one of us needs to be calm about it. Since you're a mess right now..."  
I let Josie yank me to my feet. "Let's...hey might need to collect the body...let's just go..."

Carefully, we lowered the body down. I just looked...perhaps, if it wasn't for all the blood...it might have been easy to believe...  
"Mark, you coming!?"  
"Yeah...in a second..."

Blinking back tears, I just stared. At the girl whose throat I just slit. "I'm...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...if you can, forgive me...if not...I understand..."  
"Mark! Hurry up!"  
"I'm coming! I'm coming."

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Careers Plus a Pipsqueak:_ Leonidas, Challis, Victoria, Thames

 _D4 Loyalty:_ Bravo, Rowena

 _Shit Just Got Real:_ Mark, Josie

 _Loners:_ Christopher, Virgil, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 2 (Brynnelle, Nicolyn)

Mark: 1 (Everleigh)

Axis: 1 (Nestor)

Virgil: 2 (Axis, Zeke)

Shana: 3 (Desdemona, Kyliana, Gaya)

Josie: 1 (Everleigh)

Other: 2 (Paisley, Eagle)

* * *

 **13th place: Kyliana Carter, District 7. Dismembered by Shana.**

 **I really feel bad for Kyliana, because I personally think I could've done better with her. I had some ideas, but they never worked out properly and she kinda flatlined when it came to character arcs. She got some development and stepped out of her shell a little, but got lost in the story a bit. I had a hard time figuring out what would happen with her, like a puzzle piece that doesn't quite fit. District 9 Tribute, if you're reading, I'm sorry that I could've done better with Kyliana, but I hoped you enjoyed her journey.**

 **12th place: Everleigh McArvin, District 7. Trapped and throat slit by Mark and stabbed by Josie.**

 **I didn't want this, you didn't want this, we all wanted Everleigh to live. She was such a dynamic character with a lot of potential for so many amazing arcs and helped me to grow and learn as a writer, especially when it comes to properly portraying trans individuals. I loved her a lot and toyed with the idea of her becoming my Victor, but I couldn't find a way for it to realistically work. I took a look at some plots that were currently happening and decided to use her death to develop Mark and Josie a little more. EllaRoseEverdeen, thanks for this spectacular girl; this isn't the last we'll hear of her and I hope you keep reading to see what happens next.**

* * *

 **Looks like everyone has been hit with the dreaded exam season. And for me too. I'll probably slow down on the writing a bit, especially, because I'm dividing time between this, Psycho Circus, and some other stories, but I will likely have the next chapter out in February. So yeah. See you guys next chapter!**


	37. Day 8: Waterloo

**Another chapter. So, it's been over a week in the arena and I thought it would be fun to wreck some havoc.**

 **Also, I've opened up submissions for Our Last Summer's sequel, Too much Heaven! The link to the form is on my profile.**

* * *

 _Topaz Blitzen, 21_  
 _Gamemaker_

* * *

Eight days.

Eight days. Eight days since the Games began and I sat here and watched as 24 children were forced to go up against each other and kill for their own survival. Some were alive, some were dead. Some had blood on their hands. Some were starting to break. Did I expect the tributes to start acting a certain way after over a week in the arena? Did I expect more to go insane? More to fall apart? I didn't know.

The other Gamemakers seemed over the moon. Tributes killing other tributes, tributes breaking down and letting their emotions get the best of them...this was kind of stuff that brought in viewership. Supposedly. One guy even cracked open a bottle of champagne after the Anthem ended and the faces were no longer projected into the sky. Sickening. Children were losing their lives in this tropical summer hell we built to encase them in, and now we were celebrating every single time one killed another!?

Ugh. Why did I agree to this job?

"Okay everybody!" Taurus Blackman clapped his hands together for attention. "Enough partying! We had a good day yesterday and viewership went up by 12%! Today, we need to work on..."  
Someone's cell phone interrupting him and started ringing. Taurus pulled his from his pocket. He looked embarrassed as he answered it. "Excuse me for a sec...good morning, sir...what is it? No, you can't be serious...ah, shit!"

 _What? What's happening? Who is that? Is that the President? What is the problem? Did they find me out? They know I'm a rebel!? How!? What am I gonna do!? Will they kill me!?_

Taurus was silent, listening to the voice on the other end. Finally, he ended the call. "Alright, I have urgent business to take care of with the President! I also want a flooding of the arena at 10 o'clock our time, sharp! Follow typical protocols when firing cannons for a death count. And please don't disappoint me."

 _Am I safe? Do they know who I am?_  
"Ugh," another Gamemaker muttered. "It must be a really bad riot if the President needs to get involved and consult things with the Head Gamemaker."  
"There's a riot happening?"

"You didn't hear? Last night, after Everleigh McArvin died, there was some unrest with the trans communities in the Capitol. Apparently, quite a few of them are unhappy with the way things were handled and they're trying to create a new policy for the Reaping. From what I know, the President refused to answer them and the situation escalated from there."  
"People are upset with the President!?"

She just shrugged. "Sure. I guess you can say that. I mean, if it's a riot. I don't think anyone's gotten hurt so far."  
With that the conversation was over. Avoxes milled around, taking back champagne bottles and empty glasses. Some picked up trash. One of them held a cloth and pretended to be cleaning my workstation. I just leaned over. "You heard all of that, right?"

The Avox pressed a finger to his lips, then gestured to his pockets. I could see a tape recorder poking out of one of them.

Wow, you're one smart guy. You know who to give it to." The Avox nodded. Bowing his head, he got up and moved off, pretending to be doing his other chores. For a while, all we did was work until the clock struck 10. Taurus chose that moment to appear in the doorway.  
"Flooding should be occurring now!"  
"We've got it, sir!" somebody yelled. One the giant screen above our heads, a huge tidal wave rose from the water. It was at least twice the size of the island it was headed towards.  
What the hell!? How could the tributes expect to survive that!? They'd all drown!

Taurus chuckled and I wanted to strangle him. "Thar she blows."

* * *

 _Leonidas Argyris_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Did you hear that?"

Victoria rolled her eyes. Along with Challis, we had just starting another day of hunting for tributes. So far, we had been rather unsuccessful. Plus, it was raining hard.  
"I heard something. Sounded like water."  
"Leonidas, we are surrounded by water. It's raining."

Challis nodded. "We're fine, we have water bottles."  
"No, it's not like that. Just...both of you, shut up and listen."

Victoria sighed. Challis cocked his head to one side. "Okay, either we're really close to a waterfall, or those are some loud waves."  
"Do you see a waterfall anywhere?" Victoria asked. Her face began to pale as the realization dawned on her. "Wait...oh my god."  
"What do we do now?"

"Run. We run."  
"Back to the Cornucopia!" Challis yelled, turning on his heel. I followed after him. Victoria was behind us both. "What are you guys doing!? Turn around! We need to get to higher ground!"  
"But all our supplies are this way!"

"Forget the supplies!" Victoria screeched. She passed me and nudged her elbow in my face. "Come on, Leonidas, he's gonna get himself killed!"  
"Well, what should we do? Let him drown?"  
"I don't know, but I wouldn't be standing here if I were you!"

Every single drop of rain felt like a tiny needle stabbing through my skin. The sand was all clumpy and stuck to everything. I didn't even think about stomping for a break until the Cornucopia was within sight. Challis and Thames scooped up as much material as they could. Behind them was the vast ocean, but it would be hard to miss the rising wave in the distance.

"Move!" I grabbed several bags from Challis. "Forget the supplies! We need to get out of here!"  
"We still have time!"  
"No we don't, Challis!" Water was already washing up onto the shores. "That wave will be on top of us in no time!"

Challis nodded and didn't take his eyes off me. For a moment we looked into each other's eyes. For a moment I saw fear.  
We were the biggest threats in the entire Games and even we were terrified.

"Let's go!" Victoria shrieked. "We can't bring anything else!"  
The wet sand stuck to me and I felt weighed down. But Challis gave me a quick nod and it was time to run.

The wave struck and it washed over everything.

For a moment, it felt surreal. To look up and see the water standing high above me, as if I was trapped in a dramatic photograph. Then, it all came crashing down and I was flung about. I heard people screaming, I was pretty sure I was screaming too, and I fought my way up to the surface because I needed to breathe so bad and I barely remembered what I knew about swimming and I just didn't want to die. A single breath, and then I was sucked back down to the bottom of this watery hell. I felt sand underneath my feet, but it was pulled away as soon as I touched it.

To the surface. Don't worry about anything. Get to the surface. Swim your way up to the surface. Breath.

There was nothing more relieving than the feeling of the rain pouring onto my face. Huge amounts of the arena were completely were firing and the Cornucopia was long gone.  
"Leonidas!? Over here!"

Challis was standing on top of several rocks, lucky enough to rise above the water. I stretched out an arm and he pulled me up. He looked like a drowned rat and smelled like one too. I could imagine I wasn't any better.  
"Where's..." Challis sighed and shook his head. "Who died?"  
"I don't know." All I had the energy to do was shiver. "I just..."

"Want to find somewhere slightly drier?"  
"Yeah. That sounds great."

* * *

 _Christopher "Kit" Belmont, 12_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

The rain reflected my mood for today. It was cold and dark and all I wanted to do was hide.

The cave I had been hiding in for the past two days was dam, but it was shelter and nobody could find me here. I tried to squeeze into a ball, appear as tiny as possible, and watched the waves. It was so temping to run out there where I had all this water and drink up as much as possible.

Wait. It's raining. Rain isn't salty. Rain is fresh! Why was I wasting so much time!?  
Jumping to my feet, I grabbed my water bottle and soon, I was straight up dancing in the rain, catching as many raindrops in my mouth as possible. I unscrewed the lid to my bottle and held it over my head. Soon, it was starting to fill up and my arms ached.

But I had _water._

 _Water!_

I carefully lowered my arms. Carefully, because this stuff was precious and I didn't want to spill. The bottle was about half full and I screwed the lid back on, to avoid any water leaking out. The ground around me was just as soaked and there was sand in my shoes. I pulled one off and dumped the sand, plus a few rocks and a piece of a shell out. Only then did I notice something was wrong.

Even I did try and escape, it wouldn't have been enough time.

There was the urge to swim somewhere. Try and push my way out of the waves, fight against the pressure, earn a second chance at life. The water bottle slipped from my hands and I never saw it again. The water rose and fell, and I rose and fell along with it. The cave was filled with water and I could feel myself getting dragged alongside the rocks.

Wave after wave came tumbling over me and I felt as if the pressure was pushing me down in this cruel taunt. The surface was above me. But I couldn't reach it. I saw an escape, but the water was forcing me further and further away, to the depths. I couldn't reach the bottom. I kicked my legs down as far as they could and it was scary not to have anything beneath my feet.

Dying seemed a lot easier than I thought.

Think positive things...if this is how I am going to die...at least it won't be painful. At least nobody gets the satisfaction of stabbing me over and over or snapping my neck...I won't die like Brady, with bones broken and blood spilled and a scream permanently etched on his face. I'll die here, floating in the water, until I say my last goodbyes.

I didn't even know I could hold my breath so long. Part of me knew to keep going, not to breathe, because then I'd probably take in water and that could make things worse. But I wanted to breathe. I needed to breathe. I wanted to breathe so bad...

A sharp breath was all it took and my insides began to burn. I coughed and spluttered and I was taking in more water. Sinking too. The world went dark, then the light came back, then I slipped back into darkness.

This wasn't how I wanted to die. I didn't want to go out suffering. I wanted to be happy. At peace.

I felt like my entire body was on fire, inside and out, and everything seemed waves tossed me about, as if they'd tear me apart at any moment. Darkness overwhelmed me yet again and this time, it refused to go away.

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

The stupid rain made it hard to get anywhere. My hair got all soaked and fell in my face. I couldn't find any animals; none of them were dumb enough to come out in this weather. I wrapped my goat hide around me. Soon, it too was wet and it smelled and I was freezing all over again.

Dumb hide. I yanked it off my shoulders, then almost dropped it when I tripped over something. Next thing I knew, I was siding through mud down the edge of a hill, then I was lying bruised, beaten, and dizzy on the ground.  
"Ugh...dumb landslides..."

Could this day get any worse?

I had barely dusted myself off when I heard the sounds of the water surrounding the arena crashing down. The rain took it as a sign to start pouring down even faster and harder. Mud was flowing down my legs as I picked up the pace. I broke through the trees to find myself on the edge of a rocky cliff. Half of it was already submerged and I almost slipped off and into the water. The waves were choppy and huge. One of them splashed onto the rocks and I was completely covered.

As if I wasn't drenched enough...

That didn't matter right. What mattered was the fact that the waves were getting bigger, with more and more water swamping the land around me. I grabbed my axe and swung it at the rocks, chipping a small piece off. I kept swinging and swinging, hoping to make a big enough dent. The waves were coming faster each time. I kept losing track of my progress and almost fell over several times.

Then the big one hit.

I dug the blade of the axe into the dent, hooking it on a smaller rock jutting out. Suddenly, I was pulled from my feet and I was clinging onto that axe as tightly as I could. Water was submerging me and I had to lift my head above it to breathe. Every time I did, another wave would strike and I'd be back under.

I was _not_ losing my life to Mother Nature. I was _not_ dying as a victim to some thunderstorm. I had been through worse. I had killed to survive. If I could handle blood on my hands, then I could handle just a little bit of water. The storm had to be over soon. The rain would have stop eventually.

Cannons boomed overhead and they sounded like thunder to me. I lost count. One? Two? Five? How many tributes had already succumbed to this washed-out arena? How many of us were still left? _Us._ Because I had no intentions on dying today.

It's over...it's gonna be over soon...it can't go on forever...

My axe was shifting about; it was having a hard time supporting all my weight. To far to the right and it broke free, with me still clinging onto it for dear life. Somebody started screaming bloody murder. Then I realized with horror that the person screaming was me as I was thrown off the cliff and into the depths of the ocean below.

* * *

 **I said I wasn't posting any new chapters until February and here we are! I hope you've all survived through exams. I did. Now, I only have to worry about the inevitable dread of a new semester!**

 **One fun thing about choosing a tropical island for the arena was the use of deadly storms. And this one was certainly deadly alright! I'm not gonna reveal how many tributes died (and who they were) until next chapter, where we'll focus on the aftermath of the storm. I also didn't include the alliance/kill lists because those would've contained spoilers.**

 **So, have fun speculating about who lives and who dies! :)**


	38. Night 8: Unmasked

**Just a reminder that submissions for my new SYOT, Too Much Heaven, is up! How about giving it a read?  
**

* * *

 _Rowena Marius, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Breathe."

Bravo slapped his hand against my back and I began to retch, vomiting up all the water I had swallowed and whatever went down my trachea, plus some of my breakfast as well. I suddenly felt dizzy and slumped over, almost landing face-first in my own spit.

"Ugh...you'd think...being from 4...we'd actually know what...to do when storms...hit!"  
"You're winded," Bravo said nonchalantly. "Yeah, but that's because we neglected to follow that one bit of advice common sense always tells us."  
"And what's that?"  
"Run."

I coughed up some more water. "You don't say. Gee, why didn't I think of that? Must be all the sea salt getting to my brain."  
"You'll live."  
"I was being sarcastic."

"Whatever." Bravo shrugged. "So, what's the plan now?"  
"What do you think it is? We're gonna find some way to dry off. And I really wanted to launch that attack..."  
"Might be a bit of a stretch. You know what, it's getting late. How about we settle for the night and retrace our steps the next morning?"

What choice did I have? I still felt a little waterlogged. "Oh, fine. You're the boss."  
"Yep."  
"Now help me up."

Bravo pulled me to my feet. He handed me a pack of dried beef strips and I tore it open. The rain had slowed, somewhat. I could finally feel my fingers as I fumbled with the package. I didn't notice the weather anymore, or maybe I was so soaked already that I couldn't care less. As I ate, the cannons fired. One. Two. Three.

Then it was over.

"They're really whittling us down," Bravo noted. "Who's left?"  
"I don't know yet. Wait for tonight, if they're still gonna do that broadcasting of the faces." I crumpled up the wrapper into a little ball. "Would suck if the tributes from 1 and 2 are all dead. Beats the point of an attack, huh?"

"Will you stop about the attack? We're not going on an attack right now."  
"Alright, alright, but-"  
"Eat your food."

The remaining few hours were spent looking for somewhere slightly drier. We ended up settling underneath some trees. I pulled off my shoes and my socks, before hanging them on a tree branch to dry. When night fell, the Anthem began to play. Three faces appeared in the sky. The girl from 2. The boy from 8. The boy from 11 that mysteriously showed up in training one day.

Then it was over.

Was I supposed to feel some sort of emotion? A tug of the heartstrings, a sting in my eye, a tiny voice whispering to me _these kids are dead_? Maybe I was relieved, because it meant less competition in the end? Every single night when I saw the faces projected above me, I never really knew what to think. And I was too tired to choose one feeling and just stick with it.

Bravo just shrugged, then rolled over. "Well, we knew there were three people dead anyways. Night, Rowena."  
"Night."

 _And please, don't let me die before I wake._

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _I'm alive!_

Everything smelled like salt, my clothes were damp, and my lungs felt like they were on fire, but fuck it. I wasn't dead. Not yet.  
Somehow, I washed up onto a beach, somewhere. Nothing seemed familiar at all; my guess was that I was on the other side of the arena and had never explored this place before.

I quickly dusted myself off, then poured all the water and sand out of my shoes. All my stuff was gone, including my axe. Well. That sucked. No, it was fine. Really. I supposed it was better that I was alive. I could find a new weapon to replace what I already lost. Fine. I'd be fine.

The sky was clearer, but night was approaching. I hauled myself further up the beach, away from the water. Ugh. If I died without ever seeing water again, that was perfectly fine with me.  
 _That's because I'm planning on winning and dying in a nice house back in 9 with dry clothes on. Not here._

"Right...dry clothes..." The words came out all choppy and broken as my teeth chattered. "Heh, yeah. I could use some of that."  
Once I was certain I could no longer see where the water met the sand, I decided to call it a day. Wedging myself between two rocks and same bushes, I placed some palm leaves on top of my little hideout. Not the best hideout, but if I needed to run or hide, I could do so with less hassle.

Eventually, the Sun began to set. In my little nook, I watched as the Anthem played and faces were projected. Two guys and a girl. Dead. Just like that. It felt a bit weird. There was that part of me that was glad because I had nothing to do with them.  
 _Because you still feel a bit guilty over killi-_

"Oh, shut up." I rolled over and ended up with sand in my shoes. Reaching up for the tree hanging over my head, I grabbed at a leaf and ripped it off. Then a few more. I tore them into strips and tried weaving them into a makeshift blanket of sorts...which ended up just looking like a mess.

Covering myself in my sorry excuse for a homemade blanket, I closed my eyes. Damn. Couldn't fall asleep. Now what? My father told me something to do if this happened...counting sheep. I gave that a try. One...two...three...four...

That didn't work. In frustration, I kicked the blanket off and nearly made contact with a rock. I rolled onto my side, sending more sand everywhere. Why was it so hard to sleep? What was so terrifying that kept me from winding down enough to rest?

I didn't want to think about it.

Not now.

Not anymore.

Too tired to think.

Half the night was spent tossing and turning. I didn't remember when I finally passed out. But when I opened my eyes, the Sun was back up in the sky.

* * *

 _Victoria Mason, 17_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Easy with the compressions!"  
"It's fine, I know what I'm doing..."  
"She's moving! Everybody stand back!"

"Wha..." The ground felt extremely hard and cold. I could feel somebody's warm breath on my face. "I..."  
"She's awake!" Thames shouted, a little too loud for my liking. At least it looked like Thames. His hair was brown now, and much shorter. His eye weren't green anymore. As a matter of fact, he was holding a wig and a case for contact lenses. We were in a small and dimly lit room with a giant glass tube against the wall. It reminded me of the room I had been in before getting launched into the arena.

"What the hell?"  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Foxy Champagne ( _hold on, the Victor Foxy Champagne!?_ ) grabbed my shoulders. I tried to shrug him off. "Keep your voice down, alright? We'll tell you what's going on, but please don't raise your voice."  
"...okay."

And so the truth came out. It was hard to make sense of anything and I could feel a major headache coming on. I just flopped back down. Thames, or the guy who I knew as Thames, offered me one of the canteens that he managed to smuggle out the arena.

"Um...can you explain that all over again?"  
"Complicated, isn't it? But we don't have a lot of time. Just remember these points: the rebels are completely anti-Snow and anti-Games. We were able to get help inside the Capitol and we tampered with two trackers that deactivated if a tribute's heart rate dropped low enough instead of flatlining. The plan was to retrieve the supposed bodies and get them out of the arena a beacon of hope to the rebels. Thom-I mean, Thames was one and we planned for him to go in after what happened to the first District 11 male. The other tracker was inserted randomly, and ended up with you."

"So he knew about this?"  
Thames just shrugged. "Kinda. Not really. Just the stuff about me."  
Somehow, he was slightly less annoying now. "Well...that explains...how did you know about the tracker if it was randomly inserted?"  
"Connections," Foxy said like it was supposed to be obvious. "Anyways, we need to leave soon."

"I'm not going anywhere..."  
"Come on Victoria..." Thames grabbed my hands, trying to pull me up.  
"No!" I coughed up some water in response. "I don't know why I'm alive! I don't know what I'm doing here! As a matter of fact, I don't even know who you are or what your real name is! I didn't come here to get involved in all this crap! I came here to win the Games and that's what I plan to do!"

"But..." Thames trailed off, staring at the ground. "Why?"  
"I need the money. I need to win so I can get the house in Victor's Village and move with my father away from that piece of trash I dare call my stepmother. I don't have time to put up with whatever dumb schemes you have! Now let me out of here!"

"So you would rather give up a second chance at life for the opportunity to fight for your survival? Over what? A glorified title? A plastic crown? What happens if that mission fails?" Foxy's voice was surprisingly even; it was a bit intimidating. "Do you really want to go back into the arena?"

"I...I need the money."  
"It's more than the money, isn't it? It's something else."

"No..yes..."  
I want to see my father again.

Nobody said anything. Foxy just nodded. "Very well. When we receive the signal, you can choose to come with us and escape the arena for good. Or, you can stay here. I'm sure the President will be very understanding and thrilled to find you."  
"Can I tell my father?"

Thames opened his mouth to speak, but Foxy cut him off. "No."  
"What!?"  
"This is a very high-risk mission. We can't afford to give away any whereabouts."  
"My father won't betray me!"  
"But the information could get passed on! Or given to the wrong person!"

"How about a letter?" Thames asked. "A coded letter? We could keep it anonymous or something."  
Foxy sighed. "Alright, but only one."  
I felt an invisible weight suddenly lift from my chest. "Thank you so much."

There was a knock on the door, followed by a pause, then a second knock. Foxy opened it to reveal a man dressed in red Avox uniform carrying a large and really bulky package. Foxy tore it open to reveal three Peacekeeper outfits. He tossed one at Thames and one at me. "Here."

I had never gotten dressed so fast in my life. Once I was done, Foxy pulled the visor over my face. The Avox led us from the room into a cramped and dark hallway. The visor blurred up my vision even more, but I kept as close to Foxy as possible. Thames was right beside me; the outfit barely fit him at all.

"Hey...since you're kinda stuck in this with us in this whole thing...I'm Thomas, by the way."  
"Thomas?" I whispered. "Is that your name?"  
"Yep!"

"Well...it's nice to meet you, I guess." This was awkward, especially since we first met when I made an attempt to kill hi mat the start of the Games. "So, what happens now?"

"I have no idea."

* * *

 _Current Alliances:_

 _Careers/What's Left of Them:_ Leonidas, Challis

 _D4 Loyalty:_ Bravo, Rowena

 _The Other Pair:_ Mark, Josie

 _Loners:_ Virgil, Shana

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 1 (Seine)

Victoria: 2 (Brynnelle, Nicolyn)

Mark: 1 (Everleigh)

Axis: 1 (Nestor)

Virgil: 2 (Axis, Zeke)

Shana: 3 (Desdemona, Kyliana, Gaya)

Josie: 1 (Everleigh)

Other Causes: 5 (Victoria, Christopher, Paisley, Eagle, Thames)

Victoria and Thames technically are still alive due to outer interference, but have been recorded as deceased by Capitol and Gamemaker records.

* * *

 **11th place: Christopher Belmont, District 8. Drowned.**

 **I really loved Kit, but I feel like he was one of the tributes that was just there, surviving. His arc wasn't too crazy. He was just a kid surviving what the arena threw at him, until he drowned. I had a lot of fun writing out his interactions during training and his obsession with the colour pink, but it was his time to go. Cookiecastlequeen, thanks for such a smol bean.**

 **10th place: Thames Williams, District 11. "Drowned" (presumed dead, actually alive).**

 **I went out of my way to avoid giving Thames a POV for a reason. He was quite an interesting character, because he just showed up and and ended up being the Careers's resident pipsqueak. His background was never really revealed and he had a way of acting that just seemed a bit off. Of course, we now know he's working with the rebels and his real name is actually Thomas. Where have we seen a Thomas? And why would he want to be involved with such a risky group?**

 **9th place: Victoria Mason, District 2. "Drowned" (presumed dead, actually alive).**

 **Victoria brought a lot to the Career pack. She was extremely hardworking, motivated and more or less, the glue that kept the Careers focused on their mission. It was fun to explore the early Career pack dynamic, especially through Victoria's eyes. I think the reason I chose her was because she didn't like Thames and I was like, "Of course she's gonna be the one stuck with Thames and the rebels". On top of that, Victoria's motivations differed from her peers. She'll definitely be fun to play around with in the subplot!**

* * *

 **Here it is, the obligatory subplot dump.**

 **I've been going through some stuff right now and as a result, updates have slowed down a bit. I won't go into full detail about everything, but I have decided to aim for one OLS chapter a month, two at most. I do want to finish up most of this story before diving into TMH (due to spoilers), but I don't wanna overexert myself and feel like I'm pressured. I think a maximum of two chapters per month is a pretty decent pace that will keep me motivated.  
**

 **So, what's your opinion on the new developments? How do you think this will impact the rest of the Games (and maybe even TMH)? Did Thames's identity surprise you?**

 **-Vr**


	39. Day 9: Departure

_Challis Scorn, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

For the first time in over a week, I woke up feeling uncertain.

Most of the time, I wasn't too afraid. We had the Cornucopia. We had supplies. We had weapons, and food stashes, and numbers, and we could hunt without problems. There was always that feeling of security, because if anything happened, I could just run back to the Cornucopia, and nobody would follow after me. We were so powerful, Leonidas, Victoria and I (and maybe Thames too). We could hunt, and we could kill, and survival was just some afterthought. We played the game our way.

That was all gone.

It was just two of us now. And while I trusted Leonidas, it wasn't the same. I didn't really miss Victoria too much...but I missed her. There was just something about losing an ally...one moment, she was being her bossy, snarky self.

The next, gone.

Leonidas muttered to himself as he rummaged through one of the bags we managed to save. A granola bar landed in my lap. "Here's breakfast."  
"I'm not hungry."  
"You do realize we don't have an endless supply of food anymore, right? We need to ration stuff out now."

I pocketed the granola bar. "I'll save it for later."  
Leonidas rolled his eyes, but made no comment. He slipped on his brass knuckles. I grabbed my mace. It was a little heavier than I remembered. We shoved everything into our backpacks and were soon on our way.

"What should we do now? Hunt?"  
Leonidas shrugged. "Find drier ground. Maybe set up a camp."  
"Fair enough."  
"This sucks."

"Yep." Couldn't argue with that.

More silence. Awkward silence. I wanted to break it, to say something, to crack a dumb joke, but I just wasn't in the mood. I felt suffocated by a dark cloud looming over my head, something else, not the grey clouds in the sky.

 _They're dead._

 _They're dead._

 _They're dead, they're dead, they're dead, they're dead, they're dead they're dead they'redeadthey'redeadthey'redeadthey'redeadthey'deadthey'redeadthey're-_

 _You're next._

"Wonder where the Sun went."  
Leonidas shrugged. "Big deal. It's better than rain."

"Well, I liked things better when I could actually see the sky. The clouds are all grey and it's kinda depressing. Ruins the mood a bit, you know?"  
"Are you okay, Challis? You feeling alright?"  
"Not anymore."

* * *

 _Bravo Turner, 15_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

"I see them."

Rowena jumped to their feet. "Really? Who?"  
"Shut up, they might hear us! But it looks like it's just the two boys."  
"Probably because the girl died last night."

"Yeah." They weren't that far away, just on the other side of the river. They couldn't really see us crouched in the bushes. At least, I hoped they couldn't see us.  
"Rowena, look. They aren't carrying as much stuff anymore."

"I see...Bravo, this is our chance!" Rowena was whispering, as she reached for her spear. "If we have the element of surprise on our side, we might be able to take both of them out."  
"Alright..."

Rowena shoved a knife into my hand. I just stared at it. Sure, the idea of taking out some competitors sounded appealing, but now that we were actually going through with the motions...I wasn't so sure. Could I do it? Could I really do it? Could I stab someone in the back and then wipe my hands clean of the whole incident as if it was no big deal? Or would I hesitate, giving my opponent that small chance he needed to take me out instead?

If I let my guard down, I was sure to die.

And if I died...

"Let's wait a bit," Rowena was saying. "See if they get closer. I don't want them to see us coming."  
"Oh yeah? Well, they're coming right now!"  
"Well, shut up then! they don't know we're here!"

The moment felt surreal. Everyone was moving slower than usual. I wanted time to _hurry up, get these guys out of my sight before they come after me_. Rowena placed a hand on my shoulder. I had never seen her grip her spear so tightly before. My heart was pounding so hard, it could burst out of my chest at any second.

 _Three..._

 _Two..._

 _One..._

I jumped and started waving my knife around like crazy. Rowena was right behind me, swinging her spear. I confronted one, she confronted the other. The boy from 1 stood in front of me; he held up his fists in a sparring position.

 _Where's his weapon?_ I glanced around looking for it, until I saw something gleaming on his knuckles. Suddenly, I was shoved into him and he tackled me to the ground. I swung the knife blindly as we both tumbled into the river. I heard a scream. Blood speckled onto my face. I dug the knife into some flesh and twisted it. Harshly. Meanwhile, I could feel the fists pummeling into my back.

Rowena seemed to be holding her own, spear against mace. She twisted this way, that way, and ducked as the spiked ball came flying over her head. I wanted to watch, because I was so worried for her, but I could feel myself slipping off my opponent. I pressed as much weight as I could, pinning the knife against his throat and trying to shrug his arms off me. I pushed him further until his head was flat against the bottom of the water. He was complete at my mercy. I could do this. I raised the knife above my head.

And I slipped.

Suddenly, I was the one pushed into the river, with the water over my head, forcing me to hold my breath. My vision was obstructed, but I could make out someone kneeling on top of me as pain exploded in my chest. A blurry fist came flying at my face. I tried to turn my head to the side. Pain exploded in my head and I could see a small wisp of red dancing before my eyes. Is that my blood!?

"Bravo!"  
That sounded like Rowena. I shifted my head up and suddenly felt a hand close around my throat. That's when the body on top of me feel forward, pinning me to all the rocks and dirt at the bottom of the river. I shoved him and off and wriggled my way to the surface, spitting out water as I did. The corpse slowly floated to the top with a spear ticking out of his back.

Rowena stood on the bank; I gave her a thumbs-up and the colour returned to her face. Suddenly, her eyes rolled up in her head and she slumped over sideways. Blood pooled out from the side of her chest and she twitched violently.

"No!' I wanted to run to her side and drag her to safety. I tried to jump to my feet...but I couldn't. I couldn't even look away. Rooted in fear I could only watch as the boy from 2 swung the mace down onto Rowena's dying body. Once, twice, three times, four times. Blood squirted everywhere, staining her clothes a nasty, sick red and landing all over her killer's shoes. _Stop,_ I wanted to scream. _Stop it! She's dead! Can't you see she's already dead!?_

I finally felt to urge to act and I yanked the spear free. Fine! This son of a bitch wanted to fight!? I sure as hell wasn't going down without one!

Ignoring my wet clothes and the pain in my face as it began to swell, i put all of my anger, every little single ounce of rage I had, into my spear. And I threw it. Hard.

I missed.

I didn't see what happened next. All I saw was red. Red like Rowena's blood slowly seeping away. Red like my blood, flowing through the river, down my neck, and spilled onto rocks. Red like bloodshot eyes as I shoved back into the river, head clamped down into the rocks. Drowning. Hurting. Screaming.

 _Just let me die already!_

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

"Mark, did you hear that!?"  
"Huh?" Mark lifted up his head. "The cannons?"  
"Um, yeah!"

"Each cannon stands for a dead tribute."  
"I knew that already, dumbass! You didn't have to tell me!"

"Three cannons today. Three tributes dead. Three yesterday too. Then two...two...one..." Mark trailed off, counting something on his fingers. "...plus six on the first day...that makes nineteen. That means there's five of us left."

"Are you sure? There's no way everyone died that quickly!"  
"I guess they did." Mark shrugged, tracing the patterns of the rope, just like he always did. "We're getting awfully close to the end now, aren't we?"

The end? "Well...it's not over yet! There's still three more people out there! We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."  
"Well, I think it's time to spli-"  
"Help me with the the fish!"

Dinner was taken care of pretty quickly. As usual, Mark took his sweet time. I had to scold him into eating. Did he not realize how limited our resources were!? I didn't want him to drop dead just because he ended up starving!

Afterwards, Mark rummaged through our supplies, putting half of them into a small pile at his feet. I just watched. "What are you doing?"  
"Organizing?"  
"No you're not!"

"You're right, I'm not." Mark stood up. " As a matter of fact, I'm ready to leave."  
"What? Where are you going? Why now? What are you doing? You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"I can take care of myself. And I don't need you constantly putting me down."  
"I'm...no I'm not! I'm just...you're going to die!"

"But I can't do this anymore, Josie." Mark's voice was extremely level. I felt horrible? Why couldn't he just yell back at me like a normal person? "I've had to constantly put up with you yelling at me, calling me names, and acting like you don't care. You keep saying it would be dumb of us to split up, because you care about survival. You act like I need to be dependent on you just because my hearing isn't as good as yours. How do you think I'm taking this!? How do you think I feel!?"

"Why didn't you just say something!?" Tears pooled in my eyes. I tried to blink them away. "And now you're just storming out of here instead of telling me!? Talk to me!"  
"Josie..."  
"Talk to me!"

"I don't know if I want to talk to you anymore. I don't even know if you even cared for me."  
He could've stabbed me instead. Struck me. Dealt any sort of blow, hurt me in any way and it would've been less painful than to hear those words.

"But...I saved you! I kept you alive!"  
"And right afterwards, you said you didn't care about me. Not at all." Mark began to wrap the rope around his hands. "Remember that?"

"Mark, you...you can't leave...I need you."  
"No you don't."  
"I need you!"

"Go away!"  
"Please, no, no, no, please!" I grabbed his wrist. "No you can't, you can't go! I love you, Mark! I love you!"  
"Leave me alone!"

Mark slipped his arm from my grasp and shoved me backwards. Then he ran. Away. Away from me. The Sun went down and I was left alone in complete darkness. He was gone. He left me.  
I didn't even blame him.

"But I love you..."

 _What have I done?_

* * *

 _Current Alliances/Remaining Tributes:_

 _Murderous Career:_ Challis

 _Here I go again on my own:_ Mark

 _He's just glad he's not dead:_ Virgil

 _WTF is up with her:_ Shana

 _Way to screw up, kid:_ Josie

* * *

Kills:

Leonidas: 1 (Brady)

Challis: 3 (Bravo, Rowena, Seine)

Victoria: 2 (Brynnelle, Nicolyn)

Mark: 1 (Everleigh)

Axis: 1 (Nestor)

Rowena: 1 (Leonidas)

Virgil: 2 (Axis, Zeke)

Shana: 3 (Desdemona, Kyliana, Gaya)

Josie: 1 (Everleigh)

Other Causes: (Victoria*, Christopher, Paisley, Eagle, Thames*)

Victoria and Thames technically still alive due to outer interference, but have been recorded as deceased by Capitol and Gamemaker records)

* * *

 **8th place: Leonidas Argyris, District 1. Speared through the back by Rowena.**

 **Leonidas was a character that I enjoyed working with, but I constantly felt like I didn't really do certain aspects of him justice due to my worldbuilding. I've always been a bit interested in Careers that are strong in hand-to-hand combat and working with Leonidas gave me some experience as to writing the distance in fight scenes, especially with someone who has a fighting style that requires him to be close to his opponent. Thank you Sparky She-Demon for Leonidas, and I hope you stick around to see what's next!**

 **7th place: Rowena Marius, District 4. Fatally beaten by Challis.**

 **Rowena was interesting to work with, because she had such a fun dynamic with Bravo, and they meshed together surprisingly well. I liked having an outlier who was willing to play dirty when things came down to it and could be a bit full of herself at times, but was also really bent on survival. She managed to save her district partner and claim the kill she was looking for, but unfortunately lost her own life in the process. Thanks to paperairline for Rowena and I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of the story!**

 **6th place: Bravo Turner, District 4. Drowned by Challis.**

 **Like I said, Bravo and Rowena's dynamic was really fun. While Bravo didn't take up the leader role as much as his district partner, he was very analytical, occasionally bringing Rowena down to earth when she needed it, and they were able to hear each other out before coming to decisions. His last moments were pretty rough and I feel bad about it, since he was almost killed but Rowena managed to save him but was taken out in the process, and Bravo had to watch her die before his own death. MessyModgePodge, thanks for Bravo and I hope you stick around to cheer Virgil on!**

* * *

 **What!? Final five already!? Where does the time go!?**

 **Definitely a wild chapter! And no alliances left either! Honestly, I'm a little excited and nervous, since we're so close to the finale!**

 **So, is it time to start making predictions? Who do you think will be our Victor? I've placed a poll on my profile; go ahead and vote!**

 **-Vr**


	40. Day 10: Disillusion

**Just wondering a little bit: who's still here reading? If you are, send me a review or a PM to let me know. I'm just curious.**

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _Dear Mom and Dad._

The letters were so small, I doubted any cameras would be able to pick up on most of them. Maybe my parents wouldn't be able to read them. But I didn't care. This was for me, not anybody else. I wiped some sand particles out of my fingernails and continued to write.

 _I am fine. I am doing well, I guess. I'm just happy to be alive and I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Although there isn't much else I can say. I hope to see you guys soon. There's not many tributes left, so maybe I have a good chance at-_

I wiped everything away with my boot, scattering the sand and leaving behind no message. I got up and walked down the side of the beach. Left, right. Left. Right. I stayed clear of the waves, as they kept coming and leaving the shores. It wasn't raining, but the sky was all cloudy. The sun was nowhere to be found. Perfect way to express my mood.

Nothing's going wrong, but nothing is going right either.

I just kept walking. But I stayed in the sand.

I felt underwhelmed and overwhelmed at the same time. So far, nothing happened today. A lot happened yesterday. I had seen the faces of Bravo and Rowena in the sky. Allies...not, not anymore. Ex-allies. I didn't want to feel so bad about it. They were the ones who walked out on me. They left me to my own devices. So, why did I care so much that they were dead?

Because I knew them when they were alive.

I didn't care so much for the boy from 1. Never met him or spoke to him. He was just some face in the sky. It felt weird to think that he was dead, but for some reason...it didn't bother me. But seeing the other two, people who I led into the arena, allied with, then fought with...that was different. Apparently it was.

"What's the point," I muttered to myself. I wiped at my eyes; they stung. "Everyone's dead anyways. You're too close to the end to care. Grow up."  
I couldn't let this get to me.

As a distraction, I began to think about all the things I do once I got back home. Because I needed to. I needed to be the one to win. As a victor, I'd have access to all sorts of money. I'd get to live in a large house on the edge of the District. Everybody would know my name. I could buy anything I wanted, without any shit from anyone.

The first thing that came to my mind was a kickball.

One that I could use with my friends, something really strong and durable. Maybe I could buy a bunch of them and give them out to the other kids I played with. And instead of us all crowding into a barn, I could hire someone to build us our own building. That would make the games more fun. I'd have plenty of money afterwards; it wasn't a big deal. It would be our own little paradise, where we could just run around and be all rambunctious without any fear of the consequences.

Virgil back then probably wouldn't have done that. He would keep his money for himself, like he wasn't rich enough already. But I missed playing with those kids. I missed being with my friends, who didn't care who I was. I missed dinner with my parents, where we'd dine on shipments of meat from 10 and seafood from 4 and pretend that everything was fine.

God, I missed home.

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

I twisted the rope around my hand again, something I had started doing without realizing it. Along with it, I had also taken half of the supplies, including a knife, a bottle of water, and half of the food supply. Everything else was left with Josie.

Did I regret my decision to walk away from her last night? Well...I did and I didn't. Why shouldn't I go? She was constantly putting me down. I knew that I wasn't as good at hunting for food like her and I knew my hearing wasn't the best. I knew that. But did I need the constant reminders? About how she was just treating me like an asset and not like an ally? About how I'd die without her?

At the same time, there was heightened sense of fear. Being alone was terrifying. I was constantly looking behind my shoulder, ducking behind trees or bushes. Constant paranoia. Maybe there was safety in numbers after all. But I had made the right choice. I believed it. Nothing good would've come from staying allied. It was nice, but nice things never lasted in the Hunger Games. I needed to leave if I wanted to win.

 _What do I do now?_

I could just wait. Or I could actively seek out the remaining tributes. I sat there thinking about it for a while. Then, I began thinking about my parents. My sisters. My friends. Axis. Everleigh. Josie. Everybody I had come across in the arena, and everybody who wanted me to come back home.

I have to win.

For my family.

For my friends.

For me.

Taking a small sip of water, I got back on my feet, gathered my stuff, and walked off. I tried to clear my thoughts and come up with a plan of attack. Was now the time to go offensive? Or was I better off waiting everybody out? Should I just set a trap and hope something would happen? Or would I actually have to go out and search for the others?

I decided to go with the latter. A risky move with a high chance of death, but I was past the point of waiting for things to go my way? I wanted to prove myself? This was how I planned to do it. I needed to take risks. I needed to show that I was capable of looking out for myself no matter what.

I can do this.

I'm going to win.

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

 _I'm such an idiot._

Why did I let him get away?

"Stupid..." I kicked at the sand. "Mark...what an idiot! He...he's gonna die...stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did he do that!? It's all his fault!"

 _No it's not._

"Yes, it is." More sand kicked everywhere. I rubbed some tears out of my eyes; I wasn't crying, I wasn't crying. I wasn't going to cry over some _boy_. "Yes it is! He ruined everything! We could've...we would've been fine! We could just stay together and we'd be fine! We'd...we..."

What was wrong with the plan? He should've listened to me. I...I could kill him off in the final 2. I could do it! I was strong enough. Then I'd go home and live out the rest of my life.

But I had to go and fuck things up, didn't I.

"No...no, I didn't fuck up! It wasn't me!"  
I was the responsible one. I could've been nicer, but I drove him away.  
"No I didn't!"

Why was it so hard for me to admit that things were my fault?

"I'm not crying," I said to the trees. "I'm not."  
I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want to die.  
"Go away. I'm fine!"

What happens now?

"Leave me alone."  
I couldn't stay here forever.  
"I'll be fine."  
Do I believe that?

I wished I hadn't been so selfish. But now what? I couldn't make this Game play out the way I wanted it to. If I could, none of this would have happened. I'd be living in some palace somewhere with an infinite amount of food at my disposal. My stomach growled. My legs were all cramped up. I was tired, sore, dirty, and hungry.

"What do I do now?"

Nobody answered.

* * *

 _Challis Scorn, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

This wasn't the way things were supposed to be going.

I was supposed to be dominating the arena with Leonidas and Victoria, and maybe Thames, but the was stretching it a little. We would have killed everyone off. There would be an unspoken agreement, but we'd turn on each other eventually. Would I have survived that? I'd like to think so. But now I wasn't sure.

I was supposed to be strong. Powerful. Dominating. I was the golden boy that the Capitol loved. Adored. This arena was supposed to go my way.  
Now, I was alone, with practically nothing. A light breeze picked up, but it felt to me like a frozen hell. I could hear my teeth chattering.

Why did I volunteer?

"I bet Claymore's laughing his head off at me, huh?"  
No response. Maybe my mentor had given up on me. I didn't blame him. If I was him, I'd have given up on myself too.

"Alright, I get it, Clay. I get it. I was dumb for thinking that I'd be fine. I should've known better."  
Again, nothing. I was probably just talking to myself.

"You said something, Claymore. You said something to me the night before the Games. We were talking and you said something to me. What was it?"

 _"Think of a candle, glowing in the dark. When the flame goes out, you better find a new one. Or else, you'll be swallowed by the cold forever."_

It all made sense now. I knew exactly what he was talking about.  
My motivation for winning the Games had been about honour and glory. Showing off my dedication to the Capitol. Suddenly, I didn't care about that anymore. I didn't want to be the Capitol's little servant anymore. The Capitol could go fuck itself for all I cared.

I just wanted to go home.

To hug my parents and my little sister. To be with my girlfriend, kiss her, hold her, maybe I'd propose to her someday. I didn't realize just how much I missed these people until I actually sat down and thought about it. How long had I been gone? At least two weeks? Maybe three? It felt like forever.

The sooner these Games ended, the sooner I'd be back.

It was sometime in the late afternoon, judging by the position of the Sun. I just sat there, watching the clouds float by. They seemed too perfect to be natural. The sky was a bright blue. Another breeze swept up; I tried to ignore it, but ended up shivering anyways.  
I felt an odd sense of calmness, as if I was suddenly at peace with myself. Was it because I no longer felt the urge to impress the Capitol? Or because I remembered the people I loved and wanted to get back to them?

Then I felt something coarse wrap around my neck.

It was tight.

And then it began to pull.

I jumped to my feet and reached for my mace, but I was suddenly pulled back. I tried to rip myself away, but whoever was behind me, they were stubborn and they were holding on tight. I couldn't turn around to see their face, but I managed to grab my mace and swung it. It collided with something, I didn't see what. The noose around my neck kept getting tighter and tighter. It was painful and my throat was on fire and I couldn't fight it.

Feeling lightheaded, I took another swing, but felt a foot collide with my back and I tumbled face first into the ground. This wasn't happening. I wasn't going to die here. Not here! Not now!

 _Get up, Challis. Get up._

I need to fight back.

 _You gotta get up._

I'm running out of time.

 _Get up._

My head was pounding; it was going to explode open.

 _Please._

The last thing I thought about was all the words I left unsaid and the people that I'd never get to see again.

* * *

 **5th place: Challis Scorn, District 2. Strangled (but by who?)**

 **Originally, Challis was going to place 2nd going up against the Victor, but with the reveal of of the Victor of the 8th Hunger Games, I realized that the Victor would be too obvious and he needed to go a little earlier. Challis brought a lot for me to work with and expand on my world a little, especially with introducing the early Careers. I loved working with him and developed his character, but now is his time to go. No-role-models, if you're reading this, thank you for Challis.**

* * *

 **Final 4, here we come! So, have your thoughts changed as to who will be the Victor, now that yet another tribute bites the dust? Have any guesses as to who will die next?**

 **I've updated the poll on my profile; if you could go and vote in it, that'd be greatly appreciated! And I'll see you in the next chapter as we get closer and closer to the end!**

 **-Vr**


	41. Day 11: Into The Endgame

**Trigger warning: some graphic stuff going down in the first and second POVs. Please proceed with caution.**

* * *

 _Josie Doyle, 14_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

By now, I had well gotten used to fishing with my hands. It was a struggle each time, but the fish didn't any better and I always made sure to throw them up on the shore, so they didn't have a chance at flopping back into the water. I worked all morning, building up a decent enough food supply.

Eventually, I had about five or six decent-sized fish on the bank of the river. I gathered them all up, shoving them into my bag. My stomach growled. It wouldn't hurt to eat one, would it? I dug in, carefully picking out the bones. I didn't leave any piece to waste, and collected all the bones afterwards. I shoved them into my pockets. Maybe I could find a use for them.

The day was hot. The Sun was scorching. I wanted to stop and rest. Find some shade. Hide in a cool little cave and sleep. But I didn't do any of that. I was so close to the end. I couldn't afford slacking off. I needed to be awake and alert, ready to defend myself should anybody come for me.

I wasn't sure where exactly I was headed; the terrain went from sand to a bunch of grasses and rocks. I had never been here before. The land was slightly more steeper and I nearly tripped and tumbled back down. I heard the occasional bleating of a goat. Ugh, I would _kill_ to get my hands on some goat meat.

Then I noticed that some of the rocks were splattered in blood.

I nearly tripped a second time and my heart began to pound. It wasn't like these goats would kill me, right? They were harmless. Nice harmless goats. I had nothing to be afraid of. And if they did come after me, I'd be fine. I could kill them first. Maybe the rocks were supposed to look like that. Maybe the Gamemakers were trying to spook me.

Unless I wasn't the first tribute to come here.

I was practically climbing a mountain at this point. It was so much different than the flat beach side land arena. So, why would anybody want to be here, in this ugly place? Had somebody died up here? Did somebody live up here? Neither option was a desirable one. If another tribute had been killed, I'd have to go up against their opponent or the potentially murderous goats. If I came across another tribute, I doubted they'd be too friendly.

I didn't want to take my chances.

I also didn't want to be here.

I turned to leave, but I noticed a clear path through the grass. It led to some stairs carved into the stone. So there was something here, should any of us be crazy enough to make the trek to this point in the first place.

Was I crazy enough? What did I have to lose?

 _Potentially my life._

I decided to give it a quick check before I left. But I moved slowly and carefully, trying to minimize the amount of sound I made. I didn't want to alert any enemies, tributes or not, of my presence. I wanted to see where the stairs led, look for anything useful, then run.

The stairs were easy to follow, but too narrow to climb. I started up them, then stopped. They led to a small cave. I could see the opening, but not what was inside. But the entrance was smeared with blood and animal organs. A dead goat carcass laid in the grass beside it. I stifled the urge to vomit, then hurried back down the steps. Back on the path. Away from that horrid place.

A goat bleated. Sweat dripped down my face. I couldn't catch my breath. Then I heard the grass rustle and a machete came flying past me. It slid into the dirt and stopped when it hit a rock.

The girl from 10 was crazy, no doubt about that. Her hair was all tangled, she has scratches and bruises, and an untreated scrape on her left wrist. She reeked and had blood everywhere. There was goat intestine wrapped around her right foot. What had she done with it? Why was she covered in so much blood? What happened to her? Was she going to kill me?

I glanced at her briefly, but it was a severed human finger sticking out of her pocket that sent adrenaline coursing through me and I ran.

Away from her and everything else. I stumbled and slipped, my feet banging up against the rocks. One sharp edge scraped against my ankle and I felt a small trickle of blood. But I couldn't afford to stop. Not while _she_ was after me. I didn't want to face her. I didn't want to become another dismembered appendage that she carried with her.

Fear kept me going, but she was still after me and she was bloodthirsty. I didn't dare look back, and I could hear her footsteps and her machete slicing into various things. That was slowing her down, and I kept going. I could lose her. I could escape. I was almost there, almost there...

Pain exploded in my shoulder and I whirled around and punched her in the face.

"OW! You little shit!" She jumped back, pressing a hand against her face. I ran off, going as fast as I could. It wasn't fast enough. God, my shoulder hurt. My shirt clung onto me and it felt wet. I grabbed at my shoulder, but drew my hand away. I was bleeding, my shoulder was bleeding. She had stabbed me.

Suddenly, I began to fall.

"I'm not letting you escape me again!" She was pulling me back now. My head slammed against the ground. Hard. My vision blurred. I was aware of something silver against my throat. Her blade. Her eyes were bloodshot and the finger tumbled from her pocket onto my stomach.

"I'll admit, you're a fighter. You don't let anything stop you, do you? You ruined my plans back on the first day, you wouldn't let me kill that boy. No, you got in my way! I should have stabbed you! I would've been merciful too! Those poor girls...dead, but I didn't let them suffer! Oh no, you don't get to be so lucky! I'm gonna tear you apart! I'm a monster and monsters tear humans apart!"

"F...f-fuck you..."  
"What!?" She pressed the machete further into my neck. The pain was blinding. "You're not gonna scream!? Scream out of pain!? You think someone will actually save you!? Where's your little boyfriend? Is he gonna come for you?"

"Mark? No...Mark! Don't...don't do it! I'll kill you!"

"Not if I kill you first, sweetheart!"

* * *

 _Shana Trine, 17_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

It was so easy because I was the only thing I was good at.

I started with her fingers. Playing a game of chance with them. One, two, three four five. Which one did I land on? Which one will be sliced off next? Which one will make her scream or cry or wail and call me a monster?

She didn't even move.

But she's not dead.

"Six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Look at all this blood! Look at you, bleeding out like an animal! Whatever shall we do next?"  
"F...off!" Her foot came flying at my face, but she weak and I was the one in control, not her, and I simply responded with digging my machete into my ankle.

"You should never have gotten in my way! Then I'd never be forced to do this! Oh, but I don't have to, do I!? That's right! I have no mercy! I'm a horrible human being! I kill and I torture and I slaughter and I won't stop until everything in this goddamn arena is dead!"

She winced. Finally. But at the cost of her ankle, severed from the rest of her body, lying next to me.

"Do you want to hear about how I killed one of the girls from 7? Do you? Oh, I promise it's not that bad! I stabbed her! I stabbed her, and then I slashed her open and I cut off all her limbs! I have her finger here! But she was dead long before! She didn't even see me coming! It wasn't that fun. I'm not making that mistake with you! I could've just stabbed you too, but I think you deserve something else!"

Her face was growing pale. Her blood pooled from beneath her. She'd be dead soon. But I was far from done.

"You must really love that boy, if you were stupid enough to save him. He'd be dead if it wasn't for you. But where is he!? Why hasn't he come for you!? Perhaps he doesn't care!? Do you want to know what I'll do to him when I see him? Because I'm going to kill him, just like I how I killed you! I'm going to rip his intestines out and strangle him with them!"

"No!"  
"How noble of you! But how will you stop me!? How will anyone here stop me!?"  
The cannon fired.  
I was too far over the edge, delighting in my little activities, too busy thinking what I could do and what I _would_ do. I would have noticed. I should have. But by then it was too late.

There was a knife sticking out of my back.

I turned around and there was that boy. The one I had tried to off a long time ago and that Josie apparently saw enough value in to save him. He had no time to acknowledge me or my deeds. He just yanked the knife out and stabbed me again, this time in the fore head.

I had lived, I had died, and I died as I lived.

A murderer.

 _Stupid kid. I hope he wins._

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

For the first time ever, I had claimed a life and felt no remorse for what I had done.

There had always been that sense of guilt before. Everleigh had done nothing to deserve it. Challis had done nothing to deserve it. I snared one and crept up behind the other. I had their blood on my hands and I felt horrible.

This time, I didn't feel so bad.

I gave her a quick, clean death. She was gone before I even pulled the knife out the second time; the cannon confirmed it. She didn't deserve it. She deserved to know how her victims felt. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'd never stoop down to her level. Ever.

I wasn't here to kill anyways.

I was here for Josie.

But I could do nothing for her. She too was long gone. Dead, hacked to bits like a piece of meat in a butcher's shop. Dismembered, perhaps while she could still feel it. Bleeding out with her killer showed no mercy, no rest for an untamed soul.

I quietly bent down next to Josie's body. It looked empty. I didn't like it. She had always been such the...such the...the character. Bossing me around, getting her way. She knew what she wanted, and she never let anything stop her. She probably put up a damn good fight too. I wouldn't be surprised.

I missed her.

I missed her so much.

Now she was dead.

"God...Josie...Josie, I'm sorry. I probably broke your heart when you left and we...we could've gotten along better...I'm sorry you had to die this way, Josie...I'm here for you...she's dead. She's dead now, okay? She can't hurt you anymore. You're safe."

No response. Stone, cold silence.

This was different form the silence I had heard throughout my life. Somehow, it just was different. Dead. I hated it.

"I'm here for you...Josie...you'll be safe now...nobody will hurt you anymore, okay? I still owe you because you saved my life. I'll protect you...but, only if you actually want me to...I'm here, can you hear me? I can't hear you. Josie, I can't hear you! Can you hear me?"

She's dead. Gone. Far from home. I needed to leave. Let her be. Let her soul rest.

But I didn't want to leave.

Not just yet.

"Can you hear me, Josie? Can you? I miss you..."  
 _Can you hear me? Can I hear you?_

"I'm going to try and win. I have to win. I'm going home to my family. I'm winning of you. For both of us."  
 _Will you come back? I'm sorry I never said goodbye._

With that, I simply pressed my fingers over her eyelids, closing them shut. She looked at peace now. Like she was happy, wherever she was. That was my cue to leave, with her sleeping alone under the trees. She belonged there. But I didn't. I belonged here.  
Josie's time may have been up and her life over. But not me. I still had one thing left to do. I had to win. I had to win, survive, become the Victor, or else I'd die trying.

I want to win.

I need to win.

I need to live.

I need to go home.

For my family.

For Josie.

For myself.

I was going to win.

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

The arena was so beautiful at nighttime.

It was much easier to appreciate the scenery when nobody was currently trying to kill you. I curled up my legs so they were touching the chest, and I stared up at the stars. There were just so many. Maybe I could count them. I'd probably die before I finished, though. The moon was shining, emitting a soft glow. It looked so much bigger in the water.

Thinking about the sky took my mind off things.

Did I want to think about my death? Well, I didn't want to because there was I good chance I wasn't dying and I'd make my way out of here alive. I was capable, right? I didn't want to get too cocky and underestimate anyone, but I had to have a solid chance. I wouldn't be sitting on top of a rock under the moon otherwise.

But at the same time...

"You really shouldn't think like that," I scolded myself. "With those kinds of thoughts, you're pretty much dooming yourself to an early grave. Please be positive. I'm winning. And I need to concentrate on how to get there."  
I still felt doubt creeping into my mind.

But what if I don't? What if I'm going up against one of those trained tributes? What if I lose my axe and have no weapon? What if two tributes team up against me and I can't win? What if there were three!? What if I fall down a cliff or into the ocean? What if-"

"Shut up!"  
"But you never know. It could happen-"  
"No! Stop it! Think about something else!"

"But what?"  
"I don't know!" I sighed and leaned back. Why was I so paranoid? I tried to convince myself it was just nerves, from all the sounds I'd hear at night and my imagination going wild with thinking of the ways these sounds would hurt me. But I had never been so nervous before.

And I wasn't sure I wanted to admit it ,but I was scared.

Thank god for the first notes of the anthem to distract me. I could see the blue holographic seal flying across an imaginary screen. Two faces appeared. The girl from 10. The girl from 12. I didn't know who either of them were, but I heard their cannons in the early afternoon.

I expected the sky to go dark afterwards, but the holograms lingered just a bit longer than usual, then a brand new message flashed before me.

 **"CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FINAL TWO."**

I blinked, then it was gone.  
"Uh...what the...there's two of us left?"

 _Holy shit, there's two of us left._

"Hold on...oh...oh! Oh my god."  
There was just one person standing between me and home.

One person between me and victory.

 _Just one._

One winner.

One loser.

What were the odds?

Were they in my favour?

I hoped so.

I was going to win.

* * *

 **4th place: Josie Doyle, District 12. Dismembered by Shana.**

 **Josie's dynamic with Mark and her overall character arc was something I wanted to test and honestly, I thought they'd be a fun pair. Josie was certainly tough, when she wanted her way, she got it, and she didn't like hearing anything from anybody. But she was also bossy and a bit of a bully. I just never saw her as my Victor and at the same time, I heard nothing from her submitter ever since she was submitted, which solidified the decision I made in the end. FandomsForeva, if you're reading this, thank you for Josie.**

 **3rd place: Shana Trine, District 10. Stabbed in the back and head by Mark.**

 **Our bloodthirsty antagonist, Shana was certainly a powerhouse. I tried experimenting with her, because I was so excited to have such a conflicted villain who knew her actions were wrong, but gave into the temptations. I liked the idea of her being a lurking threat: we knew she was there, but not what she would do next. In the end, she went out with a bang and a stab to the back. Thank you, hollowman96 for Shana. I loved working with her and having such a fun villain.**

* * *

 ** _FINAL TWO: Mark Giblet vs Virgil Gallo_**

 **Yep, final two already! Our Victor comes down to either one of these boys. So, who do you think it will be? Who will come out on top?**

 **Next chapter will be the finale! I don't have a set date for this, but I would like it to come out either at the end of June or beginning of July, depending on my exams. But I'm really excited for this; I've been waiting for this moment for a long time and I'm so glad to have finally gotten up to this point! As much as I've enjoyed this story, everything must come to an end eventually.**

 **Get ready for the finale!**

 **-Vr**


	42. The Winner Takes It All

**Here we go, it's time for the finale! Really big deal, and I can't believe I've finally gotten to this point after so long! It's a bit nerve-wracking...**

 **Finally, OLS has a Victor! But who is it? (no skipping to the end, guys! I put my blood sweat and tears into writing this!)**

 **Just like RF, this was a tough decision because I had a clear idea of who I wanted my Victor to be, but I kept considering other tributes in the process. I made a lot of changes to the original finale and I'm pretty happy with the way it is now; really, it couldn't be a better pair of finalists. I'm also happy with my Victor choice, his journey, his arc, and the person he's grown to be over the course of twelve days in the arena.**

 **But here we go, Day 12 of Our Last Summer!**

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

I fell asleep during late afternoon.

Rest was important if I wanted to get through my last fight. I had to force myself to stay asleep. I managed to block out what little sounds I heard in the arena, but I constantly felt this presence looming over me. Like somebody was watching me. I didn't know who it was. Every little sinking feeling made me jolt awake, ready to confront the darkness.

I woke up extremely early the next morning anyways.

Breakfast was simple. Leftover food. Whatever food I had on me. Whatever food came with the supplies I had taken from Shana and Josie. Surprisingly, there was quite a bit. I ate everything in sight, then cleaned off the bones. No need to scavenge or forest. I wasn't coming back here anyways. I was going to fight for my life or die trying.

I felt a little confident; not confident enough to keep my stomach from tying itself in knots. But I had two knives and a machete. Plus my rope. It was a little overwhelming. Which weapons should I use first? Would I even get close enough to strangle them with my rope if I needed to? What if they had a long-ranged weapon, like a bow? What if they managed to kill me before I could do anything?

What if I couldn't hear them coming?

I started tracing the rope patterns again as I wrapped it around my hand. The familiarity helped me calm down, because it felt real. Everything around me was real. The arena, the ocean waves, the blood, was all real.

This was real and I was going to either live or die.

I sat there, collecting my thoughts while I star off into space. Maybe I could wait until my final opponent came looking for me. Or, would I better off looking for them? Was there even a right choice? Did it matter what I did? At the end of the day, there was going to be a fight. Someone would die. And the Capitol would have their little Victor.

I didn't care about victory.

I didn't care about winning.

I cared about _surviving._

I reached up and touched my ear, tapping the hearing aid I had been given in the Capitol. Then I ripped it out. I tore it out of my ear, ignoring the quick flash of pain. I picked up a rock off the sand and proceeded to smash it to pieces. One smash and it was cracked. Two, and it was broken.

One, the only person allowed to leave alive.

Two, the number of us left.

Three, the number of people I killed.

Four, the number of remaining tributes when I lost the one ally I cared about.

Five...

The arena was deadly silent. And I was perfectly fine with that. I didn't want that thing anyways. It just wasn't me. I wanted to win as me. Mark Giblet. With all his flaws and imperfections. With all the things that made him who he was. With cold ears and tired eyes and blood on his hands that he wished he didn't have.

It was almost perfect.

* * *

 _Virgil Gallo, 17_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

I had never been so scared in my life.

I probably looked like a coward to everyone watching. Pathetic, even. Virgil Gallo, King of District 9, ruler of the mighty power alliance, has lost his crown, his allies, his pride and his dignity. How worthless. What did he have left? How could he compare to the beasts and monsters of the Hunger Games? Who would ever root for someone with such a fall from grace?

 _I would._

I cupped my hands and scooped up some seawater. Then, I tossed it in the air. The smell was enough to bring me back to my senses. This was it. The end. The finale. The final countdown. The great showdown. This was a do or die moment.

And what the hell was I doing!?

I couldn't afford to wallow in my self-pity anymore. No more feeling sorry for myself. I had my time to survive every little challenge thrown my way, and I had done it. Now was the time to win.

My trusty axe was nice and clean, waiting for the moment when I'd bring it down on someone's head or slice their chest open. Why not? I had done it before. Time and time again, I saved my own life and claimed others. I didn't even care about a kill count or whatever. I simply held my ground.

 _I can do it again._

Heaving my axe over my shoulder, I pumped my fist into the air. A sign to show I was ready. As soon as I brought it down, I noticed a trail of purple smoke wafting around me. It had no smell and I didn't feel any different breathing it in. It curled upwards into a bony finger, as if it was beckoning me to follow it, wherever it wanted to go.

So I did.

The smoke led me to a little clearing with a view of the beach. there, a small picnic sat, just for me. I didn't even hesitate to dig in. It felt so good, finally eating for once. After days of worrying about my next meal, looking over my shoulder, and sleepless nights, I felt relaxed. There was bread, fruit, a cheese platter, slices of meat, and even a small chocolate cake. It was like heaven in the midst of all this hell.

But I couldn't stay here forever.

I had polished off a good half of the food, when the purple smoke reappeared. My time was up. No more heaven. No more bliss. No more chances to ponder my thoughts and question myself. I had to be ready to end this once and for all.

Was I ready?

I didn't have a choice.

Do or die.

Win.

Or die trying.

 _Breathe._

You can do this.

You didn't come all this way to fail.

My palms were sweaty, my fingers were trembling, my feet were heavy, my heart was pounding, and I felt nauseous. Maybe I'd never feel ready. I felt a strange sense of calmness; perhaps I was dreaming. But I couldn't let that stop me. I followed the trail of smoke down the beach, listening to the waves gently lap up onto the shore. I didn't stop until I noticed somebody standing across from me and suddenly, this wasn't a dream. It wasn't even a nightmare.

It was real.

 _I'm ready now._

* * *

 _Alexander Snow, 14_  
 _Son of President Sterling Snow_

* * *

"Alexander, come downstairs!"  
"In a minute!"

I was almost done my latest story. This one was a good one, about a Peacekeeper who pretended he was enlisted with the rebels to try and cause mayhem among them so his side could win the Dark Days. I had just gotten to the point where he came home one night to find that his fiancee was missing and in her place was a note-

"Come on, it's the finale!"  
"What?"  
"Alex, you don't wanna miss this!"

"Alright, alright!" I chucked my notebook onto my bed and hurried downstairs. Everyone, even the Avoxes, were crowded in the living room, eyes glued to the television screen. It was split in two, each boy being led across the arena by a trail of purple smoke.

"I hope Virgil wins," Zachariah said. "He's so much more badass..." He trailed off as Dad gave him a look and pointed at Coriolanus. "I mean, he's cooler. Did you see that fight with Axis? And the way he survived all that water and the storm pretty much dumped on him,? He's gonna win!"

Theodora snickered. "Nah, it's gonna be Mark. He's killed more tributes. And he was so cute with Josie! Too bad they never kissed. Hey, what do you think would've happened if they made it to the final 2 together? They'd have to turn on each other, right?"

Coriolanus pouted; he had already made clear to everybody that he wasn't happy with the finale 2. "They're both lame! I like Challis! I want Challis to win!"  
Dad just patted his head. "Unfortunately, Challis died already, sweetie."  
"Well, I wanted Challis to win! I wanted him to bash their brains out!"

Theodora made a face. "Ew. That's disgusting."  
Zachariah lobbed a pillow at her. He missed and it landed at the feet of an Avox. "Oh please!"

"That's enough you two, please be civil! You're supposed to be the role models!" Dad leaned over and picked up the pillow. "What about you, Alexander? Who are you rooting for?"  
Who did I want to win? "Eh, I don't really care. Either one is fine, I guess."

 _Which one of them would let me interview them so I can write their biography?_

"Come on!" Zachariah tossed a second pillow, this time at me. "You've got to like one more than the other! Don't you agree with me that Virgil deserves to win?"  
"Nah, it's Mark! Team Mark!"  
"They both suck!"  
"Language, Coriolanus!"

"I'm a neutral party, leave me out of this!" I should've brought down my notebook. But I didn't feel like running back upstairs to grab it, because the tributes were only a minute away from finally coming across each other. "Guys, it's about to start!"

Everyone stopped talking and we all just watched. The tributes could see each other, and they drew their weapons. The smoke trail eventually faded, living a gap of about twenty feet between them. Mark and Virgil stood on the edge of the beach, just staring at each other. They seemed to be daring the other to make the first move. After a long pause, Virgil finally spoke.

"So, this is where it ends, huh?"

Mark cocked his head to one side, but he didn't say anything; did he even hear what Virgil asked him? But then, a smirk appeared on his face as he shouted back, "WHAT!?"  
"I SAID, THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS! WE HAVE TO TRY AND KILL EACH OTHER!"  
"SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT!"

"Motherfucker..." Virgil sighed. "You know what, screw this. I need to win!"

And then he charged.

And just like that, the fight had begun.

Virgil swung his axe, but the sand was slowing him down and he tripped. Mark quickly bolted out of the way, dropping a knife in the process and fumbling to pick it up. Virgil quickly turned around and brought his axe down. Mark slid to the left and Virgil's blow missed him completely, as he twisted the blade sideways; most of it missed, but the blunt end caught Mark's head and he fell backwards.

I heard Zachariah whistle. Virgil took a second to get his bearings as Mark tried to scramble to his feet. The fight could easily be over just as quickly as it started, with Virgil looming over Mark, both hands holding the axe. He raised it over his head, rearing up for a dramatic scene as he prepared to bring it down on Mark's head.

And then Mark stuck his leg out, kicking at Virgil and bringing him down to his level. He had a good chance to go for the kill, but Virgil wasn't close enough. Mark chucked the knife at Virgil and it scraped open his knee. Grabbing Shana's machete, which was lying only a foot away, he swung at Virgil, who blocked it with his axe. Another swing of the weapons and they both clanged against each other.

 _This is so tense._ They were practically equal with each other. But one of them had to let his defenses slip at some point.

A thin stream of blood was dripping from Virgil's left knee and it trickled down his leg; his face scrunched up in pain. He propped himself up onto his knees, but he seemed really shaky. Mark tried to stand up as well, to preoccupied with Virgil.

Virgil wobbled a little and stuck one foot out; his knee was covered in blood and it stained the sand below him, turning it a sick pale red. Mark reached into his pocket, revealing a second knife. His first one lay between them, but neither of them cared to pick it up. Virgil got ready to swing his axe yet again. His hands were all sweaty and the axe handle was covered with sand. Mark ducked and lunged at Virgil.

They collided into each other, Mark slamming into Virgil and knocking him backwards. The knife was stabbed into Virgil's stomach and the axe blade proceeded to cut open half of Mark's face and his shoulder. They were coated in blood.

I felt my foot kick at the carpet. I had forgotten where I was. I was no longer sitting in the living room, watching the fight go on over a television set with my family. I was in the arena, an innocent bystander watching breathlessly as two boys battled it out for their shot at victory.

Mark twisted the knife handle sideways, then yanked it out of Virgil's stomach. Virgil wrapped his hands around Mark's neck and tried to kick him off, but Mark was practically on top of Virgil, pressing as much of his body weight down on Virgil's legs. He was gasping for air and Virgil was screaming.  
Mark was holding the knife in one hand and using his other to pry Virgil's finger away from his throat. His eyes fluttered and I realized he was probably on the verge of passing out, due to a lack of oxygen and all the blood gushing out of the side of his face.

Virgil's fingernails were digging in Mark's skin and his face was all red. Even with his stomach tore open, he was still putting up a fight. Each of them was practically at death's door, all they needed to do was survive long enough to put the other out of his misery. They both had tears in their eyes.

"No!" Virgil was screaming. No, not just screaming. Crying, full-out sobbing. Blood and snot mixed with his tears. He looked so broken; I had never seen anything like it before. "Die! DIE! Let me win, please! Let me win! I wanna win! I need to win! I want to go home!"

Mark was deathly pale, half of his face covered in blood. He was too weak to pull Virgil's hands off him, causing Virgil to squeeze even tighter. He muttered something barely picked up by the cameras as he raised up the knife.

"I want to go home too."

And then he stabbed Virgil in the chest.

And there was nothing but silence.

"Hey!" Zachariah yelled, bringing me back reality. He pointed at the screen. "He...but he...how did..."  
Theodora stuck her tongue out a him. "I told you!"

Dad just put his hands together and shrugged. "It's a unpredictable game, my dears. Sometime, it's quite surprising what survival can motivate a person to do. now if you'll excuse me, I need to go phone Taurus. I'll see how happy he is with his victor."

The room began to clear out. Zachariah and Theodora both left, still arguing. Coriolanus pouted, unhappy that the victor wasn't his favourite tribute. I just kept my eyes glued to the screen. The cannon hadn't fired. The game wasn't over yet.

Mark tumbled sideways and fell off Virgil, lying in the sand next to him. They were both in terrible shape. Virgil let out a short breath, then he stopped moving. And I heard his cannon, fire echoing over the silence. Mark just sat up, too tired to even react. He was still deathly pale and his blood flow was beginning to thin out.

He looked like he was going to die.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Victor of the 7th Hunger Games, Mark Giblet."

The anthem began to play, accompanied with joyful trumpets. Mark just glanced upwards and nodded weakly. To me, he looked so unlike a victor that I had no problem believing that he was the victor. Bloody, battered, and broken. Someone who fought to earn their right to live, no matter how hard their opponent fought back. One who sacrificed and suffered and lost so much, but persevered in the face of death. One who fell, but stood back up again.

That was what a Victor should look like.

Then Mark's eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he passed out.

* * *

 **Oh my goodness, we've finally made it! We've made it to the end and our Victor has been revealed! I was so excited to write this chapter, and now I've done it!**

 **But first, the last eulogy:**

 **2nd place: Virgil Gallo, District 9. Stabbed by Mark Giblet.**

 **At first glance, Virgil didn't seem like a potential Victor candidate. He was arrogant, self-centered prick who had to be the centre of everything and bossed around his alliance. He could've had a simple journey, one where he used his comfortable position to turn his allies into human shields and made it easily to the end. But his alliance quickly broke apart and he went from king of the hill to a scared and lonely teen with no choice but to survive. He really grew through his hardships and his obstacles, but he kept his head up and he gained a new outlook on his life. I didn't start considering him as Victor until later in the Games and I became really indecisive as a result. But if one tribute was going to go out with a bang, fighting until his very last breath, it was gonna be Virgil Gallo. Thank you so much for him, MessyModgePodge. I hope you're proud of everything he's managed to accomplish! He was real fighter until the very end!**

* * *

 **THE VICTOR: Mark Giblet, District 3.**

 **Who would've thought that Mark Giblet was going to win? Like Virgil, nobody seemed to think much of him. He was at a physical disadvantage and it seemed like he'd be written off as a Bloodbath. But he had his alliance with Josie, his conflicted thoughts over killing another person, his drive to keep on going. I written loved all the Mosie scenes and he really grew throughout the Games as well. Like Virgil, Mark was the one responsible for breaking his alliance apart and he grew more independent. He too wanted nothing more than to survive and he was willing to prove he'd fight until the end for his chance to live. Golden Moon Huntress, congratulations on your very first victor!  
**

 **It feels so good to finally be at this point. It's such a bittersweet moment for me. I love OLS, but I think I'm ready to wrap things up and move onto Too Much Heaven. I remember when I first started this story over a year ago and things have really flown by since. As much as I'll miss this story, I'm glad to have stuck with it and bring it to the end. Three more chapters, and we'll have this whole thing wrapped up! God, I'm gonna miss this.**

 **So, what did you think of the finale? What will Mark's journey as a Victor be like? Do you think he has it in him to be a good mentor?**

 **Thanks for sticking with me for this long,**

 **-Vr**


	43. Epilogue I: Spilled Secrets

**We're now three chapters away from the end! It's time for the victor's post-Games interview!**

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _Victor of the 7th Hunger Games_

* * *

I woke up in a bed.

That itself wouldn't have been so strange. But I hadn't slept in a bed in almost two weeks. I was in a small room that reminded me of a hospital room. The walls were a light grey and the blankets were all white. I had a few tubes sticking out of my arms. I just slumped over, too tired to do anything, or question where I was.

Then it came flooding back to me.

I felt a rising my pressure in my throat and my hands quickly moved to try and pry it off. But there was nobody there. Nobody was there to hurt me. I was alive. I was alive and I had killed the other remaining tribute in the arena. there wasn't anyone left, except for me.

I won.

I didn't know how to feel about it. I had never even imagined that it would actually happen. I thought I was going to die. I thought I was going to pass out, then never wake up. Somehow, I stayed conscious long enough to win. It had come down to a simple matter of outlasting.

The door creaked open and a nurse stepped in. "Ah, Mr. Giblet, you're awake! Congratulations, by the way!"  
"Uh...thanks?"  
"So, we're just monitoring your stats right now. You have an interview tonight to wrap up your Games, and we're hoping to have you released by then."

"Okay..." Good. I didn't want to stay here any longer than I needed to. To me, there something a bit off about the nurse's voice. She sounded unnaturally loud and clear. I covered up my ears with my hands and I realized something.

"I can hear again?"

"Well, we were able to restore most of the hearing in your right ear, the one with the hearing aid. Your left ear was too far gone, unfortunately. Do you feel okay? No pain or anything?"  
"No, I'm fine. I just...I was sick as a baby and my hearing just got worse over time. It just feels a bit strange, that's all."

The nurse smiled. "That's good. If you need painkillers or anything, just let me know, okay?"  
"I'm fine. Can I leave now?"  
"Well..." The nurse hesitated. "Not yet."

"Why?"  
The nurse quickly opened the door, then glanced outside. She then glanced back at me, with a nervous expression. She reminded me of someone. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you this."  
"Tell me what?"

"There's a lot of unrest going on in the Capitol. Indirectly, a lot of it has to do with you."  
 _What!?_ "Did I do something wrong?"

"Well, it started when Everleigh was Reaped. A lot of protests occurred and there was a push for the President to recognize non-binary tributes and give them a chance to be reaped as the gender they identify as. She had to be one of the most popular tributes in the Games. And there was also Challis, extremely loyal and patriotic, and many wanted him to win as well. There were a few riots in the street when he didn't win, but those ended pretty quickly. At this point, everyone's looking for someone to blame."

I didn't even have to guess. "They're blaming me, aren't they?"  
"Not everyone! Well, there's been a few gossip magazines that have been a bit mean..."  
"What did they say?"

"It's just rumours and false accusations! Don't worry-"  
"What. Did. They. Say?"

The nurse hesitated, then reluctantly looked me in the eye. "They're calling you a transphobe and a rebel sympathizer."

I didn't even know to how respond to that. My head was pounding and I just leaned back a bit, then ended up slamming against the bed. Not wanting to face the nurse, I just looked up at the ceiling. Maybe the answers would appear to me there. Alas, I came up with nothing.

 _I survived the Hunger Games for this bullshit!?_

"Shana tortured my ally to death. And she knew she was doing it. But she didn't care."  
"She wasn't the Victor. Everyone's talking about you because you won."

Right. I was the talk of the town. "Aren't rebel sympathizers usually imprisoned? Why hasn't the President locked me up yet?"  
"Again, Victor. Victor privileges. He can't touch you."

"What should I do, then? I'm not a transphobe and I don't really want to be involved with rebellion."  
The nurse pointed at the clock on the table beside me. "You have your interview tonight. If anyone asks, you can dispel the claims right there."

Right. Another interview. "I'm not that good at public speaking. What am I supposed to say?"  
The nurse shrugged. "Honestly, I can't help you there. Just watch your words and you should be fine. Anyways, I've got to get back to work."

Just as she was about to leave, I quickly sat up. "Wait! Why are you telling me of all this stuff? Won't you get in trouble?"  
"It's my job to help out all my patients, no matter who they are. That includes you, _Mark._ "

I finally realized who the nurse reminded me of. I just shook my head, and she gave me a sly grin.  
"You know, I don't think you're actually a nurse."

Victoria gave me a shrug, held a finger to her lips, and left, closing the door behind her.

* * *

They dressed me up in a light grey blazer over a white dress shirt. Simple. I didn't really have time to appreciate my outfit before they sat me down, dabbed a bunch of makeup on my face, styled my hair, and shoved me backstage, where I'd wait until it was time to make my appearance.

I felt nervous. Sitting alone in front of a giant crowd, pretending I didn't know all the disgusting things they said about me. Every little word I said, every little action I made, that all mattered. I had an impression I needed to make, if I wanted to get on the Capitol's good side and stay there.

To me, having part of my hearing back was still strange, even surreal. I ran a finger along the outside of my ear and felt a little scar, when I ripped out my hearing aid. That probably didn't sit well with the Capitol either. They gave me something to help me, and I ended up destroying it.

I heard the sounds of applause and a stagehand waved at me. there was the cue. I took a deep breath, smiled, than ran onto the stage, in front of hundreds of cheering people. I found my seat and quickly sat down. Now the nerves were really kicking in.

Guinevere's plain grey dress didn't seem to fit her at all; I thought she'd wear something a little more exciting. But tonight wasn't about the outfits.

"And here he is, folks! Mark, Giblet, the Victor of the 7th Hunger Games! How does it feel, Mark?"  
"Um...it's...it's...I don't know, actually. I haven't been a Victor for that long. But I'm glad that I made it."

Everyone laughed, including Guinevere. "Well, I guess that's fair. But you'll come to find it's quite the lavish lifestyle. On top of that, you've set some records! First Victor from District 3, you're tied with Arley Dawson for Victor with the second-highest kill count, and you've taken the title from Paisley Lomota of youngest Victor!"

"Oh...wait, really? I didn't even notice!"  
"It's always exciting to see younger tributes come out of their shells and dominate in the arena."

"I guess so..." My palms felt all sweaty. "Goes to show that you should never count the quiet ones out."  
"Oh, absolutely not."

Everyone started clapping again. Huh, this wasn't as bad as I thought. I was about to stand up and leave, but Guinevere caught my arm. "And just like always, it's time for a recap of the Games, from start to finish! The great story, the hero's journey! Ready, Mark?"

 _Do I even have a choice?_

The entire recap took two hours and a half. To the audience, it was riveting. To me, it was terrifying. I had never even realized how much happened and watching all these people die, it hurt. Axis, dead. Everleigh, dead. Challis, dead.

 _Josie._

At that point, I wanted to throw up. There was also part of me that wanted to jump up and tear the screen to shreds so I could save her before I had to lose her a second time. I didn't do anything and kept blinking my tears back.

 _I'm so sorry, Josie._

And then, there was my final fight in all its glory.

I almost burst out laughing. When I encountered Virgil that day, he was a mess. I probably didn't look much better either. But someone had gone overboard with the touch-ups, all blemishes and imperfections removed from our skin. The blood had been toned down a little, so our injuries didn't look as ugly while we hurt each other all over. Surprisingly, they cut out the part where my face got gashed open. But they were perfectly okay with showing me stab Virgil in the chest.

I absentmindedly raised my hand to my cheek, and I could feel the scars. Touching them brought me back to reality. The recap was over and I could breathe again. But all I wanted to do was cry.

Guinevere just laughed. "Oh my, what a ride! Tell me, what's it like, not knowing what happened to all the tributes you never encountered during your time in the arena?"

How was I supposed to answer that? _I wished I slaughtered Virgil on Day 5 so I could save Axis. I wish I could've faced Shana on the first day so she'd never get the chance to hurt anyone else. I wish I was there to put Kyliana out of her misery. I wish..._

Don't screw this up now, Mark.

"I...it's nice to have answer, I guess. I always wondered what happened to some of the tributes I never got the chance to meet...I was just so focused on surviving with Josie..."

"And poor, poor Josie! How dare Shana take her away from you! Did you ever hear her confession? That she loved you?"  
"Uh...no...no, I didn't. I was so angry at her...I just left. I never turned around or anything..."

The audience swooned. Guinevere placed a hand over her heart. "And when you finally met her again, alas, it was not meant to be. But did you ever return her feelings? Mark, did you ever love Josie the same way she loved you?"

"I don't know."  
"You don't know!? Aw, come on! Are you sure you don't feel that tug on your heartstrings? The butterflies in your stomach?"  
"Josie was my ally and I never really let things progress further then that. But I cared for her. I liked her."

Guinevere's elbow poked my side. "Are you sure? Or are you just in denial?"

Honestly, I wasn't sure.

I had never given my feelings any thought.

At the same time, I didn't feel like I was being entirely truthful.

"Yeah...I guessed part of me loved her."

* * *

The crowd went _nuts_. It took several minutes for them to settle down. I felt my face burning up and I just stared down at my shoes, pretending they wore the most interesting thing in the room.

Finally, the crowd was reigned in. Guinevere smirked. "Well, what do you know. You were in denial after all."  
"No!"

"You keep telling yourself that. Now, let's move on. Because you've racked up quite the body count, huh? Taking out two of the most popular tributes in the arena! Everleigh and Challis certainly made quite a splash at their respective Reapings. Did you know that your trap was going to catch someone? Or that you were in the same area as Challis after your split?"

 _And here it is._

Answer correctly, and I'd clear myself of any accusations while staying on the President's good side.

Answer wrong, and...

"No, I never knew their whereabouts. I didn't even expect Everleigh to trigger the trap. But I have nothing but upmost respect for them. They're both very brave in their own ways. It took a lot for Everleigh to admit her identity and stay true to herself the whole time. I respect that, I really do. She deserves nothing less. And I admire Challis for his patriotism and his loyalty. His faith and love for the Capitol never wavered once and I think he did this country proud."

Applause and cheers rose from the audience. Everyone was smiling. It had been enough, hopefully enough that nobody could accuse me of being affiliated with rebels.

There was one last thing I had to sit through, then I could leave.

President Snow approached me with a crown.

It was a simple bronze one, with a little jar filled with sand in the middle. I stayed perfectly still while it was placed on my head. President Snow then stood back and offered me his hand. I gave it a firm shake. The whole time, I forced myself to look him in the eye, despite how much I wanted to break away.

"Excellent work, Mr. Giblet. You did our country proud."  
"Thank you...sir."

Backstage, there was a ton of people waiting for me. My escort, my prep team with towels to take off all the makeup, and the Victors of the past 6th Games, sans one. I didn't know where Foxy Champagne was and I was too tired to care. I just wanted this whole night to be over with, then I wanted to jump on the next train back home.

"Welcome to the club," Sliver Wirth said to me while Claymore Regans took my crown and put it on his head. "Feel any different?"  
"I feel like shit."  
"So did I."

"I didn't care about the victory," I told him. "I just wanted to go home."

"I know, I know. You'll be home soon."

"Good." I took one of the towels being offered to me and scrubbed a bunch of makeup off. "I can't wait."

* * *

 **Here's the first epilogue! This takes places the day after the Games end and Mark has to give his final interview (with a little cameo and some help from Victoria!). Do you think he did a good job? Is he on the President's good side?**

 **And now the countdown begins. I'll see you all in the second-to-last chapter!**

 **-Vr**


	44. Epilogue II: Home

**Here we go, the second-last chapter of OLS!**

* * *

 _District 1_

Desdemona's parents became social recluses shortly after their daughter died. They locked themselves inside their house, and they would rarely leave. Occasionally, neighbours would bring food and toiletries to their doorsteps. And for the longest time, nobody saw anything of the Montagues. And nobody thought about them either. It was just an old house children dared each to visit, before they chickened out at the last minute.

Leonidas's younger brother, Theseus, took up wrestling to keep himself busy after Leonidas died. As he got older, he was entertained by the idea of volunteering for the Games to avenge his fallen brother, but he never actually through with it. He became a wrestling coach instead, then a personal trainer at District 1's newly established Academy. Several of his pupils would enter the Games. Few made it out alive.

* * *

 _District 2_

Challis's family mourned, but they weren't torn over his death. They received huge sums of money secretly from the Capitol to to Challis's unwavering loyalty. Brianna, Challis's girlfriend, became a wholehearted rebel who openly opposed the Games and the Capitol's treatment of the districts. She was arrested multiple times before she eventually died in prison. Challis's younger sister, Isabella, volunteered for the 12th Games when she was 18. She placed 3rd.

For a while, Victoria's father believed his only daughter to be dead, until he received a strange encrypted letter. It took him a while to solve it and in the meantime, grief tore the family apart. Victoria's stepmother divorced him and he spent the rest of his days living as a hermit on the outskirts of 2. But he had the note figured out and he never let it out of his sights. Eventually, he joined a band of rebels and never looked back.

* * *

 _District 4_

Lucy mourned for a few days, but she eventually moved on after Rowena died. She found herself a new girlfriend, married her after five years of dating, and they even adopted a baby girl they named Rowena. However, Lucy's wife was a cruel woman, who would constantly insult and gaslight her. Eventually, Lucy got fed up. One night, she took her daughter's hand, and they ran off into the darkness.

Bravo's younger sister, Viola, became extremely aquaphobic after watching the way her brother died. It took her year to finally face and overcome her fears. By then, Viola was an adult. She ended up getting married to Bravo's best friend, Avor Wolshire, before she pursued a career as an aspiring politician and was eventually elected as District 4's mayor. She served for six years and had three sons with her husband.

* * *

 _District 5_

Zeke was given a quiet funeral two days after the end of the Games, that only his family attended. His two brothers eventually got jobs working at the same factory as their father. Only the eldest Beckett son, Francesco, would get married to his longtime girlfriend. He and his wife had only one child, a boy they named Zeke.

After Brynelle's death, her grieving mother took out her emotions on Brynelle's younger sister, Olivia. The abuse was both verbal and physical and it got worse, until after three months, Olivia finally snapped and she ran away from home. She ended up on her father's doorstep that night and he proceeded to sue his ex-wife until he finally got full custody of his remaining daughter. Olivia was safe.

* * *

 _District 6_

Nestor's older sister, Casey, decided she had nothing to lose, now that she had no surviving family members. She would eventually go around spray-painting rebellious messages and symbols of various buildings in the district. After several close calls with the Peacekeepers, Casey was finally caught spray-painting and vandalizing the Justice Building. The Peacekeepers accused her of treason and executed her.

Seine's older brother, Marseille, would get married to his fiancee eight months after the 7th Hunger Games were over. They had two daughters and a son. Unfortunately, not all of the Hoppers were forever safe from the arena. Marseille's son was Reaped for the 36th Hunger Games at the age of 17 and placed 20th, dying in the Bloodbath in a way that mirrored the death of his aunt..

* * *

 _District 7_

Kyliana's younger brother, Gustin, started hanging out with Mariana, the girl she acted as a mentor towards. They were never really friends, but grief brought them closer together. They even dated for a few months, but the relationship was too awkward and didn't last, although they still remained good friends for the rest of their lives. When Gustin's daughter was born, Mariana agreed to be her godmother.

Everleigh's family was livid with the Capitol and they openly announced their support of LGBT rights in Panem. Although the Capitol never addressed their concerns, the McArvins took things into their own hands; they set up their house as shelter for youth who came out to their parents and were disowned as a result. For the longest time, Everleigh McArvin's Reaping was the start of a new movement.

Things in Panem were going to change.

* * *

 _District 8_

Christopher's mother locked herself in her bedroom for three days after her son died; the rest of the family worried about her. When she finally came out, she chose to rebrand the entire store. From then on, the Belmonts sold nothing but pink. Every single item in the store was pink, in Kit's memory. Their popularity soon blew up afterwards.

Paisley's family took a week off to mourn quietly in their house and to prepare for the funeral. That was all they could afford. Afterwards, they all had to go back to work and to school. Panem was a demanding society and there was no rest for the wicked. The Hunger Games came, claimed 23 lives, and left. Children lived and died.

* * *

 _District 9_

Without Nicolyn to "accidentally" instigate a fight with the local gangs, her family lived in relative peace. Her friends however, decided on a more fitting way to carry on her legacy. They broke into the Head Peacekeeper's quarters and proceeded to trash them entirely. They were both caught and received several lashes as a result. They did the same the next night, but this time, they were a lot more discreet and nobody was entirely sure who was behind it.

The Gallos's marriage quickly fell apart, thanks to the Games. Isabel Gallo spent weeks mourning her son and she eventually caught her husband in bed with the mayor. They divorced a few days later. Virgil's best friends, Tanner and Ravenna, started dating and got married after only a few months together. They had two sons, both who had Virgil as a middle name.

* * *

 _District 10_

Surprisingly, Mr. Trine and Mrs. Roseworth found solace in each other. They spent a lot of time each other, mourning Eagle and Shana, but they'd never marry or have any kids. Devon Trine gave up his job as a butcher and found work as a farmhand, where his responsibilities included caring for animals, rather than slaughtering them. Sophia Roseworth earned a reputation for her stellar piano skills and made a living playing in pubs and bars. They healed over time, especially now that they had each other to lean on for support.

* * *

 _District 11_

After losing their only child, the Westbays were left heartbroken. Rather then waste away in sorrow, they decided to turn their house into an orphanage, taking kids off the streets and giving them a roof over their heads and hot food to eat. Gaya's impressive storybook collection found new life in the orphanage, with many new kids coming, going, and reading the stories.

Lesia Fungo went crazy after receiving news of her son's death. She broken down sobbing, then locked herself in her house for weeks, refusing to see the light of day. She also tried making multiple suicide attempts, but could never bring herself to do so. Eventually, her brother managed to break her door down and brought her to come live with him in his little mushroom haven.

After the events of the eighth day, Head Gamemaker Taurus Blackman realized something was up. They had no records for a 13 year-old District 11 boy named Thames Williams. He sent his Gamemakers out looking for the records, and they came up empty-handed. Taurus sent in a call to the Head Peacekeeper in District 11 to launch an investigation. They found nothing. This boy didn't exist. Taurus tried recalling Thames's tracker, which had mysteriously disappeared.

He didn't notice one of the Gamemakers slip quietly from the room and never come back.

* * *

 _District 12_

Captain, Brady's loyal dog, spent days siting on the porch, waiting for Brady to come home. He seemed alone without his favourite human around, and the Griffiths couldn't do anything to explain Brady's death to him. Captain lived for another 12 years, waiting in the same spot on the porch, before he died in his sleep. He never forgot Brady and he'd soon be reunited with him.

Sara Doyle felt extreme guilt that she and Josie never had the typical mother-daughter relationship; she felt like she could've done more for Josie, but she never did. Despite her guilt, Sara decided to make things right with her remaining child, Bailey, and raised her to be a strong and confident young woman.

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 15_  
 _Victor of the 7th Hunger Games_

* * *

It felt so good to be home.

I hadn't really been looking forward to the Victory Tour. Standing in front of all these people with some obviously scripted cue cards, how I was sorry for this loss, that loss. But the words sounded fake. I wanted to really express my sympathy, to prove that my feelings were actually genuine. I couldn't. Before the first stop, I got pulled aside by my escort who told me to just say my liens at that was it.

If only the first stop wasn't District 12.

I wanted to cry, staring up the hologram of a sullen Josie Doyle.

She was never coming back.

I managed to regain my composure for District 11. I barely kept it in District 10. For Shana, I stood by what I did. But the heartbroken expression of her father, barely looking me in the eye, sent a string of doubts and regrets gnawing at me. Maybe I wasn't any better than she was.

Maybe we were both monsters.

District 9 was up next. I had a lengthy speech to say about Virgil, about the strong formidable fighter he was and how he was a worthy opponent. That didn't sound right. He was more than an opponent. We could've both killed each other, it was just dumb luck I crawled out of that fight alive. The whole time, I couldn't look away from his face.

District 8. Say some words, leave. District 7. The atmosphere was tense. I hurried through my speech, because something was going to happen and I didn't want to be there when it did. As soon as I finished and the crowd broke into polite applause, someone threw a flag onto the stage. It had five stripes, blue, pink, white, pink, blue. I glanced down at it as all hell broke loose.

The crowd began to scream. Rock, glass bottles, and even molotov cocktails were thrown. Someone raised a flag with Everleigh's face drawn on it; the slogan underneath read _"Trans Lives Matter"_. Suddenly, the Peacekeepers rushed into the sea of people. Guns went off and blood splattered everywhere, but the screaming grew louder.

One of the few Peacekeepers on the stage grabbed my arm and pulled me into the Justice Building, before barricading the doors. I just covered my ears as the gunshots continued. I couldn't even bring myself to look outside, as people fell, left and right. The Peacekeepers pushed on, until the ground was littered with corpses.

District 6.

District 5.

District 4.

And then we were in District 2. Nobody looked happy to see me, and I found myself again rushing through my cue cards. Maybe of them were dedicated to praising the Capitol. After all, everyone knew Challis was a hardcore Loyalist. And I was supposed to be one as well. The Capitol rescued me from the arena and patched me up, did I not owe them everything?

Truth be told, the Capitol could burn in hell and I wouldn't give a damn.

District 1. I said my lines, faked my smiles. Then I was whisked off to the Capitol to party the night away under the President's watchful eye.

He was emotionless but I knew deep down, he blamed me for the District 7 riot.

Finally, we were home,

The celebrations were big, but they were so much different. District 3 was actually happy to have me back. We were going to celebrate, not the deaths of 23 children, but life. The 7th Hunger Games were finally over. And we were going to live.

First, a public ceremony was held. I gave a speech, this time without cue cards, and I expressed my condolences to her family. They simply thanked me, but that was all I needed. All of our smallest actions and words spoke volumes.

Then confetti flew, banners came flying down, music played, and everyone was dancing. For the first time in 13 days, I was smiling, for real. I shook hands, gave hugs, danced, sang, laughed, I did everything. "Congrats," people said, then they hurried off. At the end of the day, victor or not, I was still part of the district like everyone else.

Eventually, it grew late. yet the party was still growing strong. But my jaw ached and my feet were tired. I quickly ducked into an empty alleyway, then sat down on some crates and ripped off my shoes. I could still feel the vibrations of the music, and I could hear it too. It was such a hard feeling to describe, and I loved it.

Occasionally, some stragglers would stumble by, but nobody came looking for me. I just watched the action, too exhausted to go participate in it. After a few minutes, I noticed a boy about my age with dirty blond hair walking by himself, clutching some books tight to his chest. He brushed past some older men, one who stuck out a leg and tripped him. He hit the ground and dropped all his books while the men just laughed and walked away.

I quickly jumped up and started gathering the books as he frantically began patting the ground around him. "Where are they? Where are they!?"  
"Your books? I have them here."  
"Oh...well, thanks, I guess."

I handed the books back, then retreated back to the alleyway. I heard some thumping noises as he sat down next to me.  
"Hey, mind if I stay here?"  
"Not at all."  
"Thanks, again. God, this is the worst time of night. All the drunken bastards are out."

He opened up one book and began reading. That's when I noticed the title, or lack thereof. It had been replaced by some little bumps instead. All of his books were like that. They had no written words. Even the pages, as he ran his finger from left to right.

"What are you reading?"  
"A book about an astronaut. It's the third in the series. It's really cool. I used to wish I was an astronaut when I was younger, because then you could explore outside of the world."

"I guess that would be nice."  
"Yeah, think of all the discoveries I can make! Too bad Panem doesn't have a space program. By the way, I don't think I ever caught your name. I'm Daniel."  
"I'm Mark."

Daniel froze. "Wait, Mark? As in Mark Giblet, the Victor?"  
"Yeah, that's me."  
"Huh, I thought your voice sounded familiar. Aren't you supposed to be partying right now?"

"Well...well, aren't _you_?"  
"Are you kidding me?" Daniel snickered. "Nobody wants me around."

"What? Why?"  
"Y'know...I can't see..."  
"And people treat you differently because of it?"

Daniel scowled. "I don't want your pity, okay? If you can't stand me, just leave."  
"It's not pity! I was just asking a question. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Sure," Daniel scoffed, with a tight grip on his book. I hoped he wasn't going to try and smack me with it. "That's what they all say."

"I know how it feels! I've had a hearing impairment all my life! And there were a lot of people who thought I was useless because of it."  
Daniel wasn't looking at me, but he wasn't scowling anymore. "So you can share my pain, huh?"  
"In a way, yes."

"Didn't the Capitol offer to fix up to you, because you're the Victor."  
"They did what they could."

"Did it hurt?"  
"I don't know."

Daniel just shrugged. "Do you care?"  
"About what?"  
"The fact that I'm...blind."

It didn't matter to me. "Why should I care? I don't think you're useless. It didn't make you any less important to me."  
"So you don't care?"  
"Not at all."

The book slipped from Daniel's hands and he just slumped down. "You're pretty fucking entertaining sometimes, you know that?"  
"Got anything better to do?"  
"Sleep on a bench with newspapers for a blanket?"

"What?" I thought I misheard him, but every word came out clear. "Daniel, I'm so sorry, I didn't know-"  
"Honestly, it's fine. Really, I'm fine. Better than going home anyways."

"Do your parents know about that? Why do they let you sleep outside?"  
"My mother? She doesn't care. If she had it her way, she would've aborted me. Rather have no son at all over a blind one. And she's probably locked the door now. No sense in going back."

My fists were clenched. I let them go. "Why don't you come over to my house tonight? We have some spares rooms you can use."  
"You're fucking kidding. You'd share your house with me?"

"Well, it's not fair. It's the middle of winter and you're outside, on a bench. Trust me, nobody will mind. Unless you'd rather be here instead?"  
"How can I say no to that?" Daniel jumped up and slammed his book shut. "Um...thank you."

"No problem. Come on, let's go."

* * *

 **Here's Mark's Victory Tour! As well as some closure for the other 24 tributes in the Games.**

 **The final chapter of OLS will be coming out next, either mid or late August (I'm on vacation next week and own't have access to wifi). From there, the story will be wrapped up and I'll be putting more focus on TMH.**

 **We're so close to the end! I'll see you all in the final chapter!**

 **-Vr**


	45. Epilogue III: Changes

**Here it is, the final chapter of the story! Also, thanks for over 300 reviews!**

* * *

 _Victoria Mason, 18_  
 _Rebel_

* * *

Panem was changing.

For the better? For the worse? I wasn't sure. But something had been set in motion, and it would keep turning until the Capitol rose to stop it. And they were trying. But by then, the motions kept going, the dust was kicked up, and the unrest began. By the time the 8th Hunger Games loomed near, the obvious was out.

Panem was changing and the Capitol could do nothing about it.

I sat in my room within our little makeshift bunker, located somewhere on the outskirts of 10. We were awaiting news from other spies planted within the Capitol and the districts. For now, I didn't know what our next move was, or if we were sitting back and watch the nation spark on its own. It wouldn't be long before everything went up in flames.

District 7 sparked first as they flew Everleigh's face in the sky, then 11 as they were swarmed by Peacekeepers. Surprisingly, 10 subtly joined their side not long afterwards, delaying Capitol shipments to send to other districts instead. 8 went on strike, 3 and 6 held riots, all of which were quickly subdued. Then 8 flared up again and I had to admit, the Capitol was slowly losing control. If things went the way they were going, each district would slowly break apart until they couldn't take it anymore and everything would go to hell.

But not District 2. Never District 2. The loyal little lapdog, too brave and honourable to fight. Strong and great, District 2 would _neve_ r turn their backs.

I hoped my father was still alive.

I hoped he was safe.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I muttered, flopping backwards onto my bed. It was Thames. Or Thomas. Or whatever his name was. he was carrying two mugs of hot chocolate. "Hey. Want a drink?"  
"Sure. Why not?"

Thomas handed me a cup. "Apparently we're in a stalemate right now."  
"How so?"

"Well, the Hunger Games Games are next week, so Peacekeeper forced has increased in preparation. Foxy has to be in the Capitol to mentor so he can't join us. 11's been subdued, 7 and 8 are on lockdown, and 10's overrun by Peacekeepers. As a matter of fact, 10's completely out."

"Shit."  
"Yep."

Thomas sat down next to me. "We've probably gotta flee soon, Victoria. Someone traced Thames Williams all the way back to me, which is why the Capitol is so crazy about 10. You, me, my siblings, and my aunt. We've all gotta get out of here before we're arrested. Or else we'll die."  
"Where do you want to go, then? We don't have a lot of options here."

"How about District 9?" Thomas asked. "Trains from 9 come here all the time, shipping grain to be used as animal feed. We can try stowing away on one of those trains and we can make it to 9. They haven't rebelled yet, they're still a little mad at Mark. So nobody there will be looking for us."

I quickly caught on. "And if we can start uprisings in 9, the Capitol will be too preoccupied with other districts to fully prepare."  
"That's exactly what I was thinking! How did you know that?"

I just shrugged. "Well, with you, there's always more than what meets the eye."

Thomas giggled. "Are you talking about Thames or me?"  
"I don't know who I'm talking to anymore."

Thomas giggled again. For a moment, I felt like I wasn't trapped in a bunker far away from home, with every white uniform in the country out to kill me. I felt cozy, like I was just sharing a drink with this annoying little kid who insisted on being with me.

It felt normal.

It felt good.

"We should leave at midnight," I suggested. "And bring all the money you can find. I don't want Peacekeepers searching the train, so maybe we should bribe the workers so they don't alert anyone. The second we're in 9, we get off the train and find shelter. Sound good?"

"Sounds better than anything I could come up with." Thomas gave me that signature little grin of his. "You're really good at this rebel stuff."  
"Someone has to do it." I raised my cup in the air. Thomas did the same.

"Here's to the future, whatever it may bring. Here's to a future of a free Panem."

"Here's to Panem," I agreed as out cups clinked against each other. And we both drank.

* * *

 _Mark Giblet, 16_  
 _Victor of the 7th Hunger Games_

* * *

The sheets felt cool when I woke up. I had gotten myself all tangled in them again.

As my eyes slowly adjusted, I felt someone beside me. That wasn't much of a surprise. He often insisted on being there, with a different excuse each time.

"Good morning."  
"You can sleep in your own bed, you know."

Daniel yanked the covers off. "Yeah, but I like it in here."  
"We have the same bed. It's literally the exact same model."  
"It's different somehow."

"Oh please," I scoffed as Daniel cozied up next to me. "It's because you're here," he said.  
I flicked him across the forehead. "I'm gonna take your room, then. We'll see how you like it."

Daniel laughed and so did I. He had been here for six months now. His presence became another normal thing about the household, especially as my sisters decided they wanted to move out and try different things. My parents said they were getting old and eventually, they wanted to downsize to make life easier. I wasn't ready to be alone, not just yet.

Having someone there made sleeping at night an easier task. Ever since Daniel moved in, the nightmares had gradually subsided. They were still there, but I felt braver to face them, knowing I wouldn't wake up alone. And as much as I pretended to feel annoyed by it, waking up to see him down gave me enough courage to go back asleep.

 _You're not real,_ I'd say to myself as hellish shadows of the tributes swirled around my head. _You're not real. You don't exist and I can push you away. You'll never be able to hurt me._

"Do you have to leave tomorrow?" Daniel whined, kicking his feet up in the air. "Why can't you stay with me?"  
"Well, if the district wants another Victor..."  
"Mentoring is such a strange job."

"Someone has to do it," I said and I suddenly felt doubtful. Tomorrow were the Games, and for the first time, I was not a kid in the crowd. I was a kid up on the stage, and it was my job to bring more like me home. The bar had been set high and I was nervous.

 _What if I fail?_

"You'll be good at it," Daniel told me. He reached out and patted my face. "You'll bring lots of tributes home and build up your own little victor army."  
"It's not an army."

"It could be. Come on, you're a Victor! You've got to bend the rules a little! What's stopping you?"  
"I've already bent the rules! I'm not allowed to share the house with anyone outside of family or guardians."

"You think I'm family?" Daniel asked and I wanted to tell him that I did, but I stopped myself. He sounded a little upset with the question.  
"Daniel, what do you think of me as?"  
"Well, do you think I'm family or not?"

"Hey, I asked you first," I told him. "So you answer me."

"I'm not sure, because you've been a good friend, doing all of this for me. But I haven't done anything to deserve it. It feels like I'm just mooching off you. But that's what friends do, right? They look out for each other and they keep each other safe. We're friends, which is why you're doing this all for me. But I can't repay any of it."

"I don't want you to repay it."  
"But I want to. I don't have a big house or bed, so I'm going to offer something else."

"Daniel, just listen to me-" I was cut off by Daniel waving his hand in my face. "Can we be more than friends, Mark? I really want to be more than just friends. I honestly don't know how to describe it, but it's what I want. But...only if you're up for it."

"Well...are you up for it? It doesn't seem fair if you don't feel like you want to be in this relationship."  
"I'm all for it! I really want to be with you! It's not me repaying you or anything! I mean it, from the bottom of my heart, I want to be Mark Giblet's boyfriend."

"If that's the case, then I want you to be my boyfriend too."

The words came out before I even realized what I had just said. But Daniel looked so happy, I knew I'd never change my mind. What I said was true. I wasn't sure if I could see myself dating him, let alone anyone else. But when I thought about it, I really wanted it.

Daniel tackled me and we were almost knocked off the bed. I was halfway over the edge, with him on top of me. "Holy shit, I didn't think you'd actually say yes! I knew it! I knew you liked me!"  
"Okay, okay! Yes I do! Yes! Now get off me!"  
"Can I kiss you?"

"Um..."  
Daniel pulled himself off me. "Sorry. We're going a bit too fast, aren't we?"  
"Yeah, that's not a good idea. Also, I've got to leave for the Capitol tomorrow."

Daniel pouted. "That's not fair! Why can't I go with you? Or you stay with me?"  
"I wish I could. Honestly. But I'll see you afterwards, okay? And then we can go on a romantic date evening. Just the two of us."

"That sounds really good!" Daniel licked his lips. "Can we get pasta?"  
"Whatever you want."

"I want pasta!" Daniel whined. I just laughed and he gave me a hug. "But you'll do great tomorrow, okay? You'll be the best mentor District 3 has."  
"I don't want either of my tributes dying on me."  
"I know. And it sucks that the Hunger Games are a thing. But you'll bring home so many Victors, I just know it."

"I hope I do. I love you, Daniel."  
"I know."

* * *

 **And there we go, wrapping up OLS's story! I originally planned for this to end several years into the future, but I thought this worked a lot better. Well, the tales of Mark and Victoria and all the other tributes may be over for now, we'll still see a lot of these characters in TMH!**

 **It feels like I've been writing this story since forever and in a way, I'm glad it's finally over. I've had a lot of ups and down since November of 2017 when this was originally published and it's crazy how so much has changed since then. This story has gone through a lot of changes too, to become what it finally is now and I'm happy with it. I feel like I've grown as a writer and I've pinpointed my strengths and weaknesses, and worked on improving things. I've grown as a person too and there's no denying that.**

 **Thanks to everyone who submitted to the story! I hope you all enjoyed the crazy ride we've been on that is sure to continue in TMH!**

 **-Vr**


End file.
